In Service of the Queen Ch. 11

In Service of the Queen

by Davina Lee

An alternative future of women and their adventures

*

Author's Note

The last chapter was a bit of a romp, with everyone lusting over someone else's ass. And of course, Friend Adelaide got to fulfill her desire of squeezing Tiara's lovely butt cheeks while Tiara filled Adelaide with fingers and made a mess of girl juice on her thigh.

This chapter takes a darker turn and picks up the next morning.

* * *

Chapter 11: Things Take a Turn

Vivienne and Adelaide's apartment

"Vivienne? Viv? What's wrong, honey?" Adelaide closed the front door and walked over the sofa where Vivienne lay balled up and sobbing.

"Cosette," mumbled Vivienne, alternating between sucking gasps and shuddering exhales. "It's Cosette."

"Oh, honey," said Adelaide, kneeling by the couch and wrapping her arms around Vivienne as best she could. Vivienne lay with her face buried in the crook of her elbow.

Adelaide whispered. "Did she...? Are you...?"

Vivienne popped her head up, her eyes rimmed in red and tears streaking her cheeks. "No, Addie."

"Um..." Adelaide looked over the length of Vivienne as she shivered. "I've got you, honey," Adelaide said. "Whatever it is. I've got you."

Adelaide reached up to the back of the sofa and pulled down the throw blanket to wrap over Vivienne's shoulders.

"Mabon Priestess," sobbed Vivienne.

"Oh, dear friend. Cosette's run off with Eniola?"

"No, Addie. Pay attention."

"I'm trying, Viv. I'm trying."

Vivienne popped her head up again and wiped under her nose with the back of her hand.

"Let me get you a tissue," said Adelaide.

"Thanks, sweetie."

"Would you like some tea?" asked Adelaide when she came back. She held her hand out with the tissue dangling from her fingers.

Vivienne nodded a few times before snatching the tissue and holding it to her nose. Adelaide stepped back as Vivienne blew.

"I'll get another one," said Adelaide. "Maybe the whole box."

"Thanks, Addie. You're a good friend."

* * *

At the kitchen table, five minutes later

"Careful, it's hot," said Adelaide sliding a mug in front of where Vivienne sat hunched over the table with her head in her hands, and fingers woven into her hair, just barely keeping it from falling into her face.

Adelaide returned to the kitchen counter for a second mug and brought it to the table with her. She sat down beside Vivienne and reached out to rub her back.

"Cosette was selected for next year's Mabon Priestess." Vivienne let her elbows slide outward and buried her head in the nest of her folded arms after she said it.

"Cosette?" said Adelaide. "But why? She's... Isn't she already staying? She's on the football team? Why would they...?"

Still not looking up, Vivienne shook her head. "I asked myself the same thing Addie," she mumbled into her arms.

"Have you talked to her about this?"

"I can't." Vivienne shook as she began sobbing again.

Adelaide rubbed her hands over Vivienne's shoulders.

"She's been at the clinic all day for tests," said Vivienne. "Someone came to get her this morning." Vivienne broke down sobbing again.

Adelaide reached for a tissue.

"They came here, Addie." Vivienne popped her head up. "They came here looking for her."

"Did you ask them what in friend's name is going on? You can't just barge into someone's place and tell them they're getting knocked up for the next harvest equinox. That's not how it works."

"They were just safety officers. And a nurse. They didn't know anything. Only what was written on the official summons they brought with them."

"Vivienne. Oh, Vivienne." Adelaide rubbed her hand over Vivienne's back again. And after wiping under her own eye with the back of her hand, Adelaide reached for the box of tissues. She came back with two.

"How's Tiara?" asked Vivienne.

"Viv..."

"Seriously, Addie. How's Tiara? Tell me how wonderful things are between you two. I need some good news."

"She's fine, Viv. Tiara's fine."

"That's good." Vivienne sniffled, and Adelaide held the tissue out to her.

"You two are good together," said Vivienne. "You hang onto that g--"

Vivienne's words were cut off by a deep rumbling that ripped through the apartment. Adelaide watched the tissue in her hand rippling, all on its own. The tea mugs on the table rattled and shifted their position. And then everything stopped.

"What was that?" asked Vivienne.

"I have no idea," replied Adelaide.

"Earthquake?"

"I don't think we get those here," said Adelaide.

"Should we check it out?"

"Let's think about this for a minute."

Vivienne chewed her lip for a second. "Cosette," she said, hopping to her feet and turning toward the door. "I have to find Cosette."

"Viv," said Adelaide, laying a hand on Vivienne's arm, "we need to make a plan."

"Addie, what if she's hurt?

"You won't be doing her any good by rushing headlong into friend knows what."

"If it were Tiara, you'd be singing a different tune."

"Viv..."

Vivienne hung her head. "I'm sorry, Addie. That was uncalled for."

"Tiara could be in danger too," said Adelaide. "You're right. But so could we if we go rushing out there without thinking. What's the first thing you do if you get lost in the woods, Viv?"

"I don't know. I grew up in the city. Don't eat the mushrooms, I guess. I know that much."

"The first thing you do is take a deep breath. Panic is your worst enemy. So before anything else, you need to calm down so you can make clearheaded decisions."

Vivienne reached out for Adelaide's hand. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. For the next few breaths, Adelaide joined her.

"Okay," said Adelaide.

"Addie, how do you know this stuff?"

"I grew up out in the commonwealth. Kids got lost in the woods, I guess."

Vivienne nodded. She took one more deep breath and let it out. "Okay, now that we're calm, what do we do?"

"Let's think," said Adelaide. "Where would Cosette go if she were in danger?"

"Here?" Vivienne shrugged. "She'd come here."

"Okay."

"Or the youth hostel," added Vivienne. "You wait here and I'll go look for her at the hostel. I can look for Tiara, too."

"Viv, we need to stick together."

Vivienne nodded. She shook loose from Adelaide's hand and trotted off to the kitchen.

"What are you up to?"

In the kitchen, Vivienne yanked open a drawer.

"Viv?"

"I'm writing a note for Cosette and Tiara, so they'll know where to find us if they come here," said Vivienne.

"Good idea."

Vivienne slapped the note on the table and grabbed Adelaide by the hand. "We've got clear heads and we've got a plan," said Vivienne. "Now we're going to go find them."

Adelaide nodded.

* * *

Downstairs on the sidewalk

"That doesn't look good," said Vivienne, pointing to a column of smoke rising in the distance.

"No," said Adelaide. "No, it doesn't."

"I wonder what happened?"

Adelaide shrugged. "The rumbling. The smoke. Some kind of explosion, I guess."

"Addie..." Vivienne pointed at the smoke. "Addie, how far is that smoke from the youth hostel, do you think?"

Adelaide chewed at her lip for a moment. "Not far," she said.

Vivienne grabbed onto Adelaide's hand. "Come on!"

"Viv. Deep breath."

Vivienne nodded and tugged on Adelaide's hand as she inhaled.

The two set off down the sidewalk, hand in hand, striding toward the column of smoke. They made it two blocks before being stopped by a woman in a yellow high-visibility vest with reflective stripes around the torso. Atop her head was a cap of blue with Safety Services in block letters. "Back inside, friends," said the woman. "It's too dangerous to be out."

"I know," said Vivienne. "We're just heading back home now."

"How far?" asked the woman.

"Two blocks," said Vivienne, pointing down the sidewalk ahead, toward the column of smoke. "That way."

"Straight home, then."

"Yes, ma'am." Vivienne latched onto Adelaide's hand again, quickening the pace of their steps.

"Viv!" said Adelaide, hustling along beside her. "You lied. You lied to her."

"I told her we were heading home. Not whose home it was."

"Viv." Adelaide shook her head. "You're sneaky." The two of them shared a brief chuckle until three blocks later when they ran into a sandbagged barrier blocking their path.

"Hey!" hollered a woman in a uniform covered in irregular black, gray, and white splotches. On her shoulders were two parallel chevrons, also in a black and gray color scheme. "You can't be out here. Get back inside."

"We're trying to get home," said Vivienne, dropping Adelaide's hand to point down the sidewalk.

"This area's off limits," said the woman, as another pair of women with a single chevrons gracing their shoulders stepped up beside her.

"We just want to get--"

"Not this way, friend," said the woman. "Find a safety officer. Ask to be taken to a temporary shelter."

"But our--"

The woman folded her arms over her chest. "Not this way."

Vivienne turned around. She grabbed onto Adelaide's hand, and they walked back the way they came.

"This is merde," mumbled Vivienne.

Adelaide snickered.

Vivienne turned toward her. "What?"

"You sound like Cosette. Merde. This is merde."

"Addie, what are we going to do? We're so close."

As Adelaide paced alongside Vivienne, the roar of propellers overhead announced the presence of a dirigible. She and Vivienne looked up. The airship cast a shadow less than half the size of Elysium. Hanging from its gondola were four loudspeakers, pointed outward in each direction.

"Citizens are urged to stay indoors. Clear the way to let Safety Services do their jobs. For your own protection, stay indoors." The message repeated as the dirigible flew onward, parallel to the column of smoke.

"What was that?" asked Adelaide. "I've never seen this kind of thing before, have you?"

Vivienne shook her head. "Me neither."

"Oh, no," said Adelaide, looking at the ground. "Oh, no."

"What? What is it, Addie?"

"Dampf," said Adelaide. "Remember what Friend Beatrice said about her mining lamp and dampf? The exploding kind?"

"I hope it's not..."

Adelaide began to pace. "Oh, no. What if--?"

Vivienne reached out to grab Adelaide's hand, latching on tight. "Deep breaths, Addie. We're going to find Friend Cosette, and Friend Tiara, and Friend Beatrice. That's what we're going to do. And nobody shouting from a dirigible is going to stop us."

"No, but I'm pretty sure that woman in camo and her two friends will."

Vivienne let out a sigh and hunched her shoulders.

While Vivienne took a few more cleansing breaths, Adelaide looked around, up and down the sidewalk and finally into an alleyway on the right.

"Unless," said Adelaide, as she caught the image of a woman dressed all in black and carrying a baton like the leader of a parade. But instead of a high-stepping band leader, she was moving slowly and keeping to the shadows.

"Unless what?"

"There." Adelaide pointed and Vivienne followed with her eyes. There was a flicker of light, and when the dark figure turned, the lantern in her other hand became visible.

"Friend Beatrice," hollered Adelaide.

"Shh," hissed Vivienne.

Adelaide slapped her own forehead. "Duh," she said, turning to run toward the figure in black.

"Friend Beatrice," said Adelaide, raising her right hand, fingers straight and palm facing outward. Adelaide placed her hand next to her cheek, smiled, and dropped her hand to the side in an arc.

"Friend Adelaide." Beatrice threw her arms wide and wrapped Adelaide and Vivienne in a hug. "I'm happy you're okay."

"Was it...?" Adelaide started to speak and then took a step back, making sure Beatrice could see her face. "Was it dampf?"

Beatrice shook her head.

"Are you sure? You said the mining lamp was for detecting dampf. Pockets of bad air."

"I've only ever encountered the choking kind. Nitrogen, carbon dioxide, water vapor. Never the explosive kind."

"Never?" asked Adelaide.

Beatrice shook her head. "I've been exploring many long years, Friend Adelaide."

"Where are you off to, friend?" asked Vivienne.

"To the youth hostel, to ensure everyone is safe, and to help if they are not."

"That's where we're headed. But not that way," said Vivienne, pointing back the way she and Addie had been. "There's a bunch of grumpy women at some sort of checkpoint. They won't let anyone by."

As Vivienne was relating this information, the roar of propellers began to drown her out. As she paused, Beatrice began looking at her quizzically.

"Citizens are urged to stay indoors," the overhead announcement started on its loop again.

Adelaide got Beatrice's attention and pointed skyward. Beatrice glance at the dirigible and nodded. She latched onto Adelaide with one hand and Vivienne with the other. Beatrice tugged them deeper into the alleyway.

* * *

Below the alleyway

"Are you sure it's safe down here?" Adelaide asked as Beatrice led them down the narrow stairway of the dimly lit service tunnel.

"No dampf," hissed Beatrice.

"I'd feel better if--"

"No dampf!"

Vivienne laid a hand over Adelaide's arm. "Addie."

"Fine, she's the expert."

"Come on," said Beatrice, leading the way with her lamp held high and out front.

After walking along for some time, avoiding puddles of water and slippery patches of wet moss along the way, Beatrice came to halt. She pointed to the rusty metal rung of a ladder embedded into a mass of concrete extending upward.

"What's this?" asked Adelaide.

"Way out," answered Beatrice.

"You want me to go up there?"

Beatrice nodded. "There's an access cover. Push it up and out of the way. I'll hold the lamp up so you can see."

Adelaide took a deep breath and let it out. "Let's think about this for a minute."

"Oh for friend's sake," said Vivienne. "I'll go." Vivienne put her foot on the lowest run and reached above her head for a place to put her hand.

"Viv..."

Vivienne disappeared into shadow above. "It's not that far," she hollered down. "Hold the light a little higher so I can see."

Adelaide turned to Beatrice, pointing to the lamp and then up toward the ladder. Beatrice put one foot on the ladder, pushed herself up and held her lamp high.

"Got it!" hollered Vivienne.

* * *

Above ground, on the other side of the checkpoint

"Citizens are urged to stay indoors," came the announcement from the dirigible loudspeaker.

"I wish they'd turn that thing off," mumbled Adelaide. "We know already. Still not staying indoors."

The loudspeakers continued blaring. "A terrorist act has been committed. Stay inside. Stay vigilant. Official news and announcements will be posted at all public buildings and train stations."

"What's going on?" asked Beatrice.

Adelaide shrugged. Vivienne looked at Beatrice and pointed skyward to the dirigible.

Vivienne once again looked into Beatrice's eyes. "They said it was terrorists. The explosion was terrorists."

Beatrice shook her head.

The announcement replayed. "Citizens are urged to stay indoors. A terrorist act has been committed. Stay inside. Stay vigilant. Official news and announcements will be posted at all public buildings and train stations."

Vivienne reached out for Beatrice's hand and then latched onto Adelaide. "We should get going," said Vivienne.

* * *

One block from the youth hostel

"You have got to be kidding me," said Vivienne.

"Deep breaths," said Adelaide as she and Beatrice stepped forward. "What is it?"

Vivienne pointed around the corner of the building.

"Oh, for friend's sake," mumbled Adelaide. "Another checkpoint. And we were so close."

"Friend Beatrice," said Vivienne. "Is there another tunnel?"

Beatrice shook her head.

"Uh-oh," said Adelaide.

"Uh-oh?" hissed Vivienne, "Uh-oh, what?"

"Someone's coming this way," replied Adelaide.

"Merde," mumbled Vivienne.

"Wait," said Adelaide, tugging at Vivienne and Beatrice. "I've got an idea. Come on."

"Addie, what are you--?"

"Shh! Follow me. Don't say a word."

Adelaide marched toward the checkpoint, head held high, and swinging her arms where she held Beatrice and Vivienne in tow.

"Citizen!" commanded a woman in black and gray camouflage. "No one is allowed on the streets."

Adelaide cocked her head.

"Get back inside, citizen."

Adelaide raised her right hand, 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.

"Citizen!"

Adelaide pointed to the youth hostel building. She turned her gaze back to the uniformed guard, held out her right fist and poked her pinky finger up. After a moment, she added her index finger. Then, finally, her thumb, stuck out to the side.

The guard stared at her. "I have no idea what you're saying. Don't you speak?"

As Adelaide pointed to the youth hostel building again, Vivienne stepped forward. "Bonjour," said Vivienne, "Je m'appelle Vivienne. Comment ça va? J'habite ici."

Vivienne then pointed to the youth hostel building.

Just as the guard threw up her hands, a woman in a yellow high-visibility vest with reflective stripes and a Safety Services cap atop her head walked up. "Who are they?" she asked.

"I think they live here," said the guard, "but I can't understand a word they're saying."

"Well, the youth hostel is where all the foreign visitors live, so that makes sense. They're probably going home. Might as well let them through."

"I'll have to clear this with my superior."

"No worries," said the woman in the high-visibility vest. "I can escort them."

"Thank you, ma'am," said the guard.

"Come on," said the safety officer. "Don't you know you're not supposed to be on the streets?"

Adelaide turned to the safety officer. She held out her right fist and poked her pinky finger up. After a moment, she added her index finger. Then, finally, her thumb, stuck out to the side.

"You're welcome," said the woman in high-visibility yellow.

Hiding behind Adelaide, Beatrice threw her hand over her mouth and snickered until Vivienne elbowed her in the ribs.

* * *

Outside the youth hostel, one minute later

"Merci beaucoup!" hollered Vivienne, waving from the front steps of the youth hostel. The woman in high-visibility yellow tipped her cap as she walked off.

"You're insane," hissed Vivienne, throwing her arm over Adelaide's shoulders. "Absolutely certifiable."

Adelaide grinned.

"I love you?" said Beatrice. "I love you? That's all you could think of to sign?"

"I started with hello," said Adelaide. "What? You'd rather I'd signed nice ass? I'm just learning."

Beatrice curled her hand into a fist while Adelaide watched intently. Rather than forming a sign, Beatrice raised her fist and punched Adelaide in the shoulder.

"Ow!" complained Adelaide.

"Like Friend Vivienne says. Insane."

Adelaide rubbed her shoulder and reached for the door handle.

* * *

Inside the youth hostel

"Cosette!" Vivienne held her arms wide and ran into the entryway. "Cosette! You're okay. Oh, you're okay."

Cosette shuffled forward, meeting Vivienne halfway and wrapped her arms around Vivienne's waist. "Chérie."

"Oh, I was so worried."

Cosette winced a bit as Vivienne squeezed.

"Sorry," said Vivienne.

Cosette held out her arm, pulling up her sleeve to show Vivienne the cotton ball stuck to her arm with a band of white medical tape. All around the cotton ball, Cosett's skin was yellow with bruising.