Wowie another AU. Hope you're ready for some wild shit. I had this idea knocking around my noggin for AGES. I finally had to flesh it out and feed it to the internet. This is also 100% an excuse to world build for the Zaulia. I love me some warrior ladies, thanks.
Obviously, the main pairing is Rima/Ophelia.
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Ophelia felt like she had turned to stone whilst she stood there. The mere sight of Eddie Riggs left her undone in a way she hated. It had been so long, but not long enough- there was still a sting in her heart when she looked at him. Anger had turned into sadness.
Her hand tightened around the hilt of her blade as she looked to her Zaulia Sisters. The other woman tightened the circle around Eddie and Lita. Wordlessly crowding the pair of Ironheade warriors from going anywhere. The jostling and spears pointed in their direction did enough to unsettle the two.
"H-hey now. We're just here to talk to the queen." Eddie started with an almost nervous laugh. "We come askin' for aid."
Ophelia couldn't stop her hands from shaking, she swallowed and avoided his eye, motioning wordlessly for another Zaulia to take her place. "I'll speak to the queen." She barked out, voice rough. Her voice is jagged enough neither Eddie or Lita took notice of her it seemed. The heavy face paint, leather armor, and shorter hair did wonders to change who she was.
"Thank gods, we aren't going to die." Lita's voice carries even as Ophelia flees.
Ophelia swallowed thickly, making her way through the underbrush and greenery to find Rima. Unaware of the fact she was crying until she felt her tears splash against the bare skin of her chest. She couldn't help it now, nor could she stop it by the time she arrived deep within the heart of camp. The heart where Rima's chieftain tent lay, flaps open, metal kittens meandering in and out at their own pace. Ophelia lets her hand drop to stroke over one kitten as she steps forward inside. Rima for once is seated, a lapful of kitten, other Zaulia women talking amongst themselves. They looked up at Ophelia's arrival. The woman stood at attention across from the leader of the Zaulia.
"Rima- we have intruders." She called out, trying to ignore the varying concerned stares amongst her peers. The clear worry on Rima's face felt like a knife to Ophelia's heart.
"Beloved-" Ophelia shook her head, signaling they would talk later. That much was enough to make Rima's expression harden. The Queen was present now, not Rima. Ophelia was glad of that much. It gave her a respite from the storm brewing inside of her
"Intruders?"
"Outsiders, they tried to take our beasts, they wish to speak with you."
Rima narrowed her eyes, "The same outsiders you came from?"
"Yes."
The queen exhaled slowly, "I'll speak with them, if they displease me I'll kill them." Rima carefully hands the metal beast kitten to another woman before she rises from her throne. Her spear is handed to her by another Zaulia warrior.
A question lays on Ophelia's lips but is answered for her before she can speak it. Rima can read her with such ease now. You need not come." Rima's hand is a comfortable weight that settles on Ophelia's shoulder. "I need you here."
Ophelia swallows, nodding. This isn't a retreat, this isn't a surrender. This is fortification. Once Rima sees her nod of assent, the chieftain speaks once more. "You are to inform the others, blow the whistle if need be to summon any nearby patrols."
"Yes."
Rima removes her hand after a moment, having let it linger. She snaps her fingers and two Zaulia move to join her, walking with the ruler of their tribe out of the tent into the stifling humid air of the afternoon. Ophelia strides over to the throne, holding her head high. She claps her hands for attention, drawing any unaware of the situation to her.
Her eyes are shining with tears, but she speaks proudly.
She is Zaulia now. Tears do not stifle her duty. Grief cannot consume her.
###
The chieftain tent has been expanded for a meeting, more women have crowded within to await their ruler's word. There are a few straggling children here or there, but no infants. Children run around the tent playing easy yet quiet games. Some idle conversation carries between various warriors but rarely gets all that loud. The Zaulia are a quiet kind, use to prowling the jungle in utter silence to strike at their prey. Ophelia has to admire that about them, after living so long in noise, she finds comfort in companionable silence.
Ophelia sits at the chieftain's throne, awaiting Rima's next order.
Rima returns, after what feels like an eternity. Ophelia almost sags in relief at the sight of the other woman. Rima bangs the end of her spear against the ground for attention. That much makes Ophelia raise from her seat.
"The intruders have been sent away." She announces primly, gaze sweeping over the gathering of women present.
"But," Ophelia feels her heart sink, dreading the addition. "I have promised I will speak with them away from our camps and beasts. We will consider their suggestions."
Silence is heavy for a moment before women's voices break in. Ophelia finds it hard to track who is saying what in the cluster of women gathered. "Truly, we're to speak to these intruders?" "Why give them any of our time?" "We have hunts to prepare for!"
Rima holds a hand up, which immediately silences the group. "I said consider, I did not promise anything beyond that. Settle." She taps the end of her spear on the floor again. "I will need fine warriors with me tomorrow, to be my senses."
Her gaze sweeps the group of Zaulia warriors. "Zana." Rima points at a woman with dark loose tumbling hair and equally dark eyes, her face paint makes her eyes seem akin to a predator on prowl. She rests a hand gently against the top of her daughter's head before standing at full attention. "You are my ears."
Rima looks out to the crowd again, eyes settling on the next woman. "Aamani." Rima picks out a dark-skinned woman with light colored hair braided tightly against her skull. Decorative ornaments poke from the neatly done braids, colorful and odd against the limited color palette of the group. Her eyes are bright, a contrast against the night that made up her skin. "My eyes." The woman bows her head respectfully back.
Within the crowd, she picks another, "Brauma." A waif of a woman, the oddity amongst the warriors gathered. One considered far too weak to battle, only to be learned she moved swiftly as a river during a storm. Just as tumultuous and ready to drag those who underestimated her under. "My touch."
Her gaze finally settles on Ophelia. "My heart." The brunette felt herself nod, standing tall as well. She can feel the other's eyes on her but never looks away from Rima.
"You all shall come back with me by the morrow, we meet near the bridge." She looks again, expression stern and chiefly. "This meeting is dismissed, go back to what you were doing."
At her words the uncertain silence broke, women began talking and Ophelia found herself drifting to Rima. Her hand found its home in hers. Their fingers intertwine as the two leave the tent together. The scent of campfires left burning hangs heavily in the air as the two move together.
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Rima playing with her knife was far from new. It was a habit Ophelia had grown very used to over the past six months. It was a motion of thought, far from nervous as much as it is practiced.
Even with all of them, Ophelia still found herself worrying. Maybe a little. "You're going to cut yourself at this rate." Ophelia stated gently, reaching out to place a hand against Rima's shoulder. Ophelia's touch made the Zaulia Queen slowly unwind. The tension built up in her shoulders easing now. In the privacy of their home, their tent they can enjoy some privacy.
"I've yet to cut myself on my own blade. Not since I was a girl."
"There is a first for everything, Rima." The brunette leaned in to rest her chin on her lover's bare shoulder. "I'm sorry." In the privacy of their tent, they were stripped down from the usual armor to bare skin and loose tunics.
"Sorry-?" Rima glanced over at Ophelia the best she could, given their position. "What for?"
"I brought this trouble with me. If I… just walked past your encampment you wouldn't be-"
Rima growled at that, tossing her knife aside to turn around and yank Ophelia fully into her. "Silence. I am not going to hear a dark word against you. Not even from you."
Ophelia sat up, attempting to protest further. "Rima-"
"No." The Zaulia queen silenced Ophelia with a kiss. The lithe warrior melted into the kiss more than readily, holding onto Rima gently. When Rima broke away she gave Ophelia a stern look. "You are a Zaulia now. Your past has its problems, its old broken ties, but you are mine. This… Ironheade can wait until I make a decision. They will get help when I deem it." Ironheade's arrival to the jungle had been a day that rocked Ophelia's comfortable world senseless. Even worse was the fact none of them recognized her under her given paints.
"They'll accuse me of being a demon."
The eyebrow-less woman snorted, taking a moment to look over Ophelia teasingly. "I've examined you personally, I know for a grand fact you are not one."
Ophelia huffed a little, turning red. "Hey!" Rima laughed lowly, leaning in to kiss Ophelia silent again.
Her journey into joining the Zaulia had been one fraught with oddities. The culture was something Ophelia was still trying to understand even now. The strangest oddity lay in the loyalty these women had with her.
She had proven herself, she was with the Queen. It would take more than Ironheade to uproot her.
###
Seeing the bridge again after months of avoiding it feels like a shock to her system. Even worse is the tour bus parked across the way. People meander around it, a campfire has been built, women are practicing their aim on targets Ophelia remembered building for them.
Ophelia hates the nostalgic sting that comes with seeing it, all of it- with picturing Mangus behind the wheel. The nostalgic sting of her days spent building target practices, patching practice dummies, and drinking with these people.
Rima's hand on her bare shoulder does enough to bring Ophelia back into the moment. She can breath smoothly once again, tension loosening in her shoulders.
"My heart, focus." Her words are soft, without reproach. Any other warrior would be cut to ribbons for losing her focus. Ophelia feels guilt but tries to ignore it building behind her ribs. "Be steady, be silent, be ready."
Ophelia swallows, nodding but steels herself. She focuses on the sharp edge of her spear, the way the light glitters as it meets the metal. She is as sharp, as deadly, as cold as needed. She and the spear are an unstoppable force.
Eddie Riggs cannot hurt her again. She won't allow it. Nor would Rima. Rima's hand stays against her skin until they emerge from the underbrush. The Zaulia chosen form a protective flank behind their queen. Practice, practice, practice, practice- its what keeps them together around Rima.
Eddie and Lita stand in the middle of the bridge waiting for them. It just adds another tragedy to this bridge.
"You wished to speak to us?" Rima questions, voice oddly loud in comparison to her usual tone. Ophelia keeps her expression carefully blank as she keeps to Rima's right. The two Ironheade leaders seem to startle before turning to face the Zaulia.
"Yes." Eddie is all smiles, bright, buoyant, Ophelia wants to rip it off of his face. Some angry bitter part of herself wants to make him cry the way he made her cry. That part doesn't surface, it lays dormant as Eddie continues. "We're the human rebellion, we've been fighting the demons, freeing humanity. A pretty big deal."
Rima just stares at him impassively, lips pressed into a thin line. A wordless suggestion to continue before she grew bored.
Lita sighed, rolling her eyes. "We need your help." Eddie starts to protest until she shoves her hand against his face. Palm covering his nose and mouth as he glowers at her. "Demons have taken over the lands we once called home. We had to flee from an ambush they sprung on us months ago. We've been fighting but, but haven't beaten them back."
"I see." Rima tilts her head. "And why, if I may ask, should we help you?"
Eddie smacks Lita's hand off of his mouth, "Uhhhh, cause we're freein' humanity!? Pretty sure you're a part of that. Least last time I checked." His gaze swept over the women, not even lingering on Ophelia in the least. The brunette is more relieved than anything else.
"We are Zaulia. We are our own people. We broke away from the last rebellion because they succumbed to the sea. How do I know the same will not happen to you and your lot?"
"The sea has to be sealed still." Lita cut in, shooting Eddie a warning look, resting a hand against his arm. The touch lingers, gentle and bolstering. Almost similar to how Rima- Ophelia managed to suppress a wary frown. She needs to listen, not let herself wonder about what Ironheade has been doing without her. Lita hesitates before continuing, lips pulled tight. "Only- only a demonic emperor can open it."
"So if we cut off his head, he never opens it again. Easy, peasy." The cockiness from Eddie turns Ophelia's stomach. She had loved him once, so deeply so uniquely, now she wasn't sure who she was seeing before her.
Rima stared at him, "Do you have any actual plans or simply speculation? I will not join a cause, much less a one doomed to fail such as yours without a plan."
Eddie's expression pinched at that, frustration is sharp, brittled there. Its a rush of emotions battling to win on his face that feels strange on him. It takes Ophelia aback in a way she hadn't expected. "Don't you have any fuckin' compassion-" A hand slaps against his mouth, Lita looking cross. Her patience is thin for Eddie apparently, she shoots him another stern look. "We've got a plan." She cuts in quickly, "We plan on beating the demons out of this continent, we discover where their fortress is and kill our way to it. The emperor cannot hide from humanity as a whole once we're at his gates."
"A mission to end your lives. I see." Rima's tone isn't impressed. She taps her fingers against the staff of her spear. "You two freed people?" There is some disbelief in her tone. The subtle edge of judgment like the blunt side of a blade digging into your back, knocking the air out of you. Like a bruise blossoming in the worst place it can against a joint.
"There- there were four of us." Eddie his voice comes out shockingly small, weaker now. All the cockiness and smugness dropping in an instant. It is almost like cold water has been poured over him. "Four leaders for this rebellion, but, we lost two of them." He laughs almost bitterly now. "War kinda- has its price. It's... why we need your help. This is the most genuine he's been. "We can't do this alone anymore. Ironheade needs more allies, needs more chances to protect everyone we can. Divided we're doomed. Together we can do somethin'."
Rima briefly at best steals a glance at Ophelia, but it is barely a flicker, barely something the two leaders of Ironheade notice. Lita has focused on resting a hand against Eddie's arm again, offering a wordless comfort. The roadie offers her a slim smile. Ophelia can see the fissures forming, breaking him apart.
Ophelia's grasp tightens around the staff of her spear, dark eyes drifting to the other women, other Zaulia. They are all impassive as Rima is. Stone statues against the grief displayed before them.
"We shall discuss your offer." Rima states, closing the meeting as quickly as it starts. She eyes the two, both surprised it wasn't a flat refusal. "Make a more structured plan. We shall meet again when the sun is high and the birds cry for blood."
"Blood?-" Eddie barely starts to ask the question before the Zaulia leave in a tight unit at Rima's hand motion. The women follow wordlessly, a shadow to the Zaulia queen as they disappear into the jungles. Ophelia can hear the talk of Ironeheade growing faint, distant as they walk deeper and deeper. Ophelia finds herself straining to pick up on the last snatches of words. The last of Ironheade for now.
Only the feeling of a cool breeze against her bare body pulls her back to now.
In the darkness of the brush far away from prying ears, Rima comes to a stop turning to face the women with her. The women following her came to a stop as well but keep a protective formation around their queen. "Now, we speak."
