Beruka let out a soft groan as she walked back to her room. It has been a long day and she just wanted to sleep. It feels like she had to fight every single retainer in the cast- oh wait, she did. She managed to beat both of Lord Leo's retainers, and Laslow, which was expected, and Arthur, as always, pretty much defeated himself. Effie threw her around like a ragdoll as usual, her attacks bouncing uselessly off that huge shield of her, and the fight against Peri had worn her down considerably before she was soundly pinned. And the rest of her energy was lost in her usual stalemate with Selena.
Beruka's body was sore and tired...a feeling she was no longer used to. She hadn't felt like this since the days under her father's tutelage. But at least now she has a soft bed to rest on, and if that doesn't do it…there's always Lady Camilla. Beruka couldn't help but smile...this is a good life, she wouldn't trade it for anything.
Beruka walked into her room, shutting the doors behind her. A comfortable darkness and silence fell, and Beruka began to remove her armor meticulously.
When she finished, she moved to lie down on her bed...but heard a slight clink, like someone moving in armor...right in the corner where her old armor laid. But that's...impossible. No one could hide there...right?
She sat bolt upright and turned towards the corner. "Show yourself!" she snapped, touching the hilt of the dagger under her pillow.
Another rattle from the armor...and it visibly began to move, slowly rising up as if...possessed, by some horrible malicious specter. Beruka shook her head and tightened her grip on the dagger. "Ghosts don't exist…" she reminded herself in a soft voice. "Come out!"
The armor clattered upwards and seemed to reverberate with a hollow chuckle. "Hello, Beruka..." it said, in a deep, echoey voice. "Thought you were rid of me, didn't you?"
Beruka's eyes widened and she scooted back. "N-no...no I...I killed you...you're gone…"
The armor laughed and clattered forward. "I will never be gone. I'm always here...watching...judging my precious little pupil. You've been falling behind recently. Maybe I should teach you better."
At that, Beruka shot out of bed and scrambled for the door, just in a hurry to get out of this room...away from the memory of her father. She grabbed the door and jiggled the knob, the door shaking as she tried to open it.
The armor laughed again and lurched forward. "You can't get away from me..."
Beruka opened her mouth to plead...then she heard it...a dark snicker she had become used to. "...Niles…" she growled, suddenly whirling around at the suit of armor. "Run...now!" she snapped. "And whatever little puppeteer you've got controlling that thing better pray to the gods I don't find them!"
At those words, the armor clattered to the ground, and she heard outside her door footsteps running down the hall. The 'specter' was gone...and Beruka just fell to her knees and curled up, trembling. She thought she was free of him...free of this fear...and here she is, ready to cry.
A short while later, Selena was walking down the hallway, stretching and grunting. But she stopped when she heard something strange from Beruka's door...a muffled sobbing. Selena put an ear to the door and listened.
"...I'm s-sorry...I'm sorry Father...gods why can't y-you get out of m-my head?"
Selena knocked on the door. "Beruka? Are you...okay?" It was a stupid question, she knew, but she felt she had to ask.
"S-Selena?" Beruka called out timidly, her voice only a little stronger. "...no...I'm...I'm not...I-...I need-..." Beruka's voice suddenly died and another muffled sob rose from behind the door.
Selena burst into the room and found something that confused her. Beruka was on her knees, curled up in front of the door, her body trembling. She had her face smothered into the floor, her hands over her head.
Selena rushed over to her, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Bebe...what happened?"
"N-Niles...he...I...my armor…" Beruka shook her head and curled up more. A few feet away from her, her leather armor was in an unceremonious heap on the floor...very far from it's place in the far, dark corner.
Selena's brow furrowed. "...that fucking bastard..." She leaned in and wrapped her arms around Beruka's huddled form. "It's okay. I'm here."
"S-Selena...I...I feel...so cold…" Beruka trembled in Selena's grasp, her breathing shaky. "I-I...I don't...want to be cold...again…"
Selena hugged her tighter, nuzzling Bebe's cold face with her own. "I'm here, Bebe. You never need to be cold again. I'll keep you warm as best I can..."
Beruka leaned into Selena's touch, pressing her face into the nape of Selena's neck. "...you're warm…" she muttered. Despite saying this, her body was still tense, wound like a bow string, ready to jump...even more than usual. "...I'm...I'm scared...Selena…I...I can't relax..."
Selena hesitated for a moment, before pulling her closer, rubbing her back. "Should we go to Camilla?"
"Y-yes…please…"
Selena nodded and gently lifted Beruka into her arms, holding her close. Beruka rested her head on her shoulders and wrapped her arms around Selena's neck. "...thank you...Selena…"
Selena smiled and nuzzled Bebe as she carried her towards Camilla's room.
Camilla was in her room, readying for the end of the day, when Selena came bursting through the door...carrying Beruka.
"Selena? What is going on?"
"I'm not a hundred percent sure, but Niles did something with Beruka's armor and she broke down."
Camilla rose from her bed and hurried over, putting a gentle hand on Beruka's shoulder. "Beruka...baby, what happened?" she asked gently.
Beruka hesitated for a moment before speaking very softly. "He...did something to my armor...and he...he impersonated...my father…"
Camilla's left eye flickered and turned deep red. "What?! How da-" she suddenly stopped when Selena bumped her.
"Now isn't the time for that," the redhead hissed softly.
Camilla blinked a few times and she noticed Beruka had buried her face back into Selena's shoulder. "Oh...I see." She gently reached out and put a hand on Beruka's head, gently running her fingers through her hair. "It's okay, dear, I'm not mad...it's okay. Come on...let's lay down."
Selena and Camilla laid down on her bed, Selena gently shifting her hold on Beruka to less of a carry and more of an embrace. Camilla wrapped her arms around them both. Beruka hummed softly, being nestled between the two larger woman, and her body finally started to relax to her usual tension.
Camilla held her retainers close to her warmth, smiling as Beruka started to relax. "That's it, little Bebe...just relax, we're here, we'll keep you safe," she cooed gently, rubbing Beruka's back.
Beruka closed her eyes and shivered. "...I...I can't...get him out of my head…"
Selena grunted and nuzzled closer, kissing Beruka's forehead. "Well damn him. He's gone."
"...by my hand…"
Selena sighed and scooted closer, Camilla reaching up and putting a warm hand on Beruka's cheek. "No no...don't think about that. Don't think about him. We're here with you, just focus on us...be here with us."
Beruka looked between the two, then smiled. The gesture was small, but it was large for Beruka. She nuzzled into Selena's hold, and reached back, gently pulling on Camilla's nightgown to bring her closer too. "...I feel so weak…"
Camilla chuckled gently and kissed Beruka's neck. "It's okay to feel weak...really, it's okay. We'll always be here to take care of you...it's okay."
Beruka squirmed and the two larger women glanced at each other. Then they nodded. Selena pulled away, Beruka groaning in complaint, but only long enough for her to grab the warm covers and pulled them over all three bodies. Beruka nuzzled into the warm darkness and closed her eyes.
Camilla gently rubbed her stomach, and Selena's hands gently ran down Beruka's back. Beruka felt the tension leave her body. She was safe...she was comfortable...she was loved. Her father was wrong...and she could finally relax.
In the morning, Niles was nervously patrolling the hallways, as normal, alongside Odin. They were both on edge...expecting Beruka to jump them. They didn't expect to find Selena in their path.
"Hello, boys."
"H-hello, Selena, how are you this fine, brilliant morning," Odin yelped, trying to keep his usual strong voice as he spoke.
Selena smiled and chuckled. "Oh, I'm doing just fine. You, on the other hand..."
Niles glanced between the two mercenaries and he inched backwards. "This seems to be a conversation between friends I'll ju-"
Niles froze at a hand on his neck. He carefully looked back and found Camilla looking down at him. "You'll be going nowhere, Niles," she hissed with a grin.
Suddenly Niles found himself pinned to the wall by his neck, his arm twisted behind him. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Odin had been grappled into a headlock by Selena. Camilla instantly had his attention though when she leaned heavily on his back.
"Now listen well..." her voice was a soft whisper, but it still held every ounce of power the princess could hold in a threat. "If you ever scare my precious Beruka in such a way as last night...I will feed you to my dragon." The hand was removed from Niles neck and slammed his head into the wall, at this angle, he could see Camilla staring down at him...one eye red and hungry. "...in bits...do you understand me?"
Niles couldn't nod fast enough.
Camilla smiled and her eye flickered back to normal as she relaxed her grip. "Good little boy. Selena, does Odin have the message?" The red head flashed a thumbs up, a very pale Odin still in her grasp. "Then let him go, and come on, we have places to be."
"Yes milady!" Selena threw Odin away and fell in step behind her lady.
The hall was still for a moment before Niles sunk to the ground. "...they terrify me…"
"They terrify everyone," Odin piped up. "I won't tell Lord Leo if you won't."
"Deal…"