Saber Rider characters belong to their specified animation and branding company. Please don't sue me. All OCs belong to me. Do not use them without my express permission. I sincerely hope you enjoy this story. This stemmed from a dream I had while sick and taking cough syrup. Please review if you feel so inclined, I appreciate feedback.
Richard is driving, neither have said much since they started the long drive, the silence is broken by the tone indicating an incoming call. "Yes?" Richard says as he connects the call.
"I thought you'd want to know that the people are aware of what is happening and shall address you appropriately."
"Good to know. Though you've already stated as much earlier." Richard says dryly. Another call comes through and he groans. "Speaking of those people, Thomas is on the line. Can you hold?"
"Just swap over. I'll call again if I think of anything else."
"Alright." Richard replies and swaps the call. "Yes Thomas?"
"Ah, I wasn't sure you'd answer, Sir."
"It took a moment due to the general on the other line. He's ended his call for the moment. What do you need?" he asks, unsure of what to expect.
"I hear congratulations are in order," he says lightly.
"Aye, so they are," he replies cautiously.
"So is Lady Celia with you, or is she coming with the general?" he asks.
CIlla snorts, trying not to bust out laughing at the look on her companion's face.
"She's with me," he replies, amusement obvious in his tone.
"We figure that tonight we should work on the physical changes, and do the ceremony on the morrow. Whether it is a full wedding or handfasting. We can discuss it this evening."
Richard glances to Cilla, who nods while still struggling not to laugh. "That should be fine. She will remain with me in my quarters tonight, I want that to be clear."
"Of course, Sir," Thomas replies. "Elaine has our room ready to work on her hair and such once you're both settled. Dinner should be ready about the time you arrive."
"Thank you, Thomas. We'll see you in a couple more hours."
The call disconnects and Cilla bursts out laughing.
Richard casts her an amused glance, "What is so funny?"
"Lady? He called me Lady?!" she says as she gasps for breath from laughing.
Richard manages to keep his countenance fairly neutral, only giving a small smile. "Get used to it."
She looks at him curiously when she hears the seriousness of his tone. "You're not kidding?" He shakes his head. Maybe I'm not ready for this… "Oh."
"Cilla-"
"Celia," she states. "We need to get used to it." I need to get used to hearing it come from your lips.
"Celia," he corrects, "they will address you as 'Lady.' Given my heritage, it is only proper." God, I wish I had time to do things right by you.
"They call you 'Sir'?" she asks.
"Aye. Though they always called my father 'Master Edward'. I've not been back since his funeral. I surely hope they don't start with the 'Master Richard' bullshit. I...I'm not sure I could tolerate it. 'Sir,' I can accept."
Celia holds in a laugh, but is unable to hide her smile. "I think I see why you were a soldier."
He glances over, amusement in his eyes. "I preferred it to being home. Though I must admit this higher education teaching isn't as bad as I feared. Though I do miss tossing students around on occasion. It was a good way to relieve stress."
Celia laughs outright at his comment, holding her sides, which seems to sober her.
He notices her change in demeanor and looks to her, momentarily taking his eyes from the road, "Are you alright, Love?" he asks quietly.
She closes her eyes and takes several slow breaths before nodding. "The laughing has made me hurt. I'll be fine," she replies quietly. "How much further out are we?"
"About ninety minutes," he says. "You should take something for pain."
She hesitates, looking down to the bag of meds in the floorboard.
"I'll wake you when we're roughly ten minutes out."
Reluctantly, she nods. She retrieves a pill and swallows it, then rests her head on the headrest and closes her eyes, drifting off not long afterwards.
Richard reaches over and puts his earpiece that is laying in the cupholder into his ear then switches the connectivity, to lower the risk of waking her should a call come in.
The general is following a little behind the couple. So many thoughts running through his head. He thinks back to the conversations earlier in the afternoon. Thomas seemed almost too willing to help. Which gave him pause, but knowing he had few alternatives, he proceeded to explain the situation. The older man and his wife listed attentively, seeming to understand how dire the situation is. In fact, it was their suggestion to give the woman her new name. Even came up with a believable background. His people should have everything needed there when they all arrive. The look in Saber's eyes when he looks at that woman...I never thought he'd get too close to an assignment, but there is certainly something between them. His very body language was guarded, ready to protect her. And his own admission in the car, he seemed to already have feelings for the woman. And willing so quickly to marry her. Maybe this isn't such a good idea, but I see no other options at this point. His cell chiming interrupts his thoughts and he looks to see Saber calling him. "Eagle," he says by way of greeting.
"Do I want to know what prompted this?" He asks.
"Prompted what?" the general asks.
"You to take such drastic measures to protect a civilian woman."
"Having second thoughts?"
"No," he replies with a small laugh, much to your chagrin I'm sure. "But I question your motives in this. It seems well beyond anything you'd normally condone."
The general is silent for some time. "When we spoke in the car earlier, it seemed that you were...that you cared for the woman. So I thought perhaps…"
"I do care for her. I have for some time, Sir. I just...I didn't want...I don't feel like I'm doing right by her with it being like this," he replies quietly. His voice cracking with emotion, despite his effort to not allow his feelings through. He takes a few breaths to regain his composure before speaking again. "You know I will protect her. And she is taking this far better than I think most would. I just hope she doesn't come to resent me for this."
And there is it. He is in too deep. Perhaps I should pull him from the assignment. He'd still have her, but let her take his true name and him formally retire from the command, with the stipulation he could be recalled if needed.
"Sir?" Richard says on the line that has gone silent.
"I'm here. Just thinking. We'll talk more when we get you settled."
"Very well," he replies, agitated as he disconnects the call. Sighing, he looks to his companion, who is sleeping peacefully. Knowing they aren't far off, he touches her hand gently. "Wake up, Love. We're just a short ways out now," he says gently.
She stirs, her eyes opening slowly as she looks around at the unfamiliar surroundings. "We're in the woods?" she asks sleepily.
He laughs, "I suppose that's one way to look at it. We're turning onto the drive to my estate."
She looks around, curious of her surroundings. Off to the right she sees a dense forest, to the left, what could be farmland, or untouched lands, a prairie perhaps. Soon the trees start thinning out and she sees a well landscaped courtyard, her breath hitching when the castle comes into view. "A castle?!" she says nearly breathless.
Richard manages not to outright laugh at her reaction, but doesn't bother to hide his amusement. "I told you I live on an estate."
"An estate, not in a bloody castle!"
He does laugh now, his tone light, glad that her earlier tension seems to have ebbed.
"Now you know why I have such an interest in History and Ancestral heritage."
She nods, still awestruck at the scene before her. As he starts to slow the car down, she sees an almost elderly couple coming down some side steps, two young boys, no more than their early teens following them.
"That is Thomas, who called earlier and his wife, Elaine. The two boys, are probably their current wards," he explains as they pull up and come to a halt. "They usually work a year or so to earn money, then go on to finish their schooling." He cuts the engine and looks her way once more, taking her hand. "You can still say no to all of this, I do not want you to have doubts," he says she gives a slight nod as he gives her hand a squeeze before opening his door and getting out after releasing her hand. The boys come rushing up as he pops the trunk. "Take the chair to the sitting room, leave it folded for now. My bag can be set on my bed," he says as he makes his way round the car to open Celia's door.
She reaches up and takes his offered hand, standing up rather stiffly as the general pulls in not far behind them.
"Good evening, Sir," Thomas says as he and Elaine approach the couple. "Welcome, Milady," he says with a small bow, which makes Celia blush.
"It is good to see you both," Richard says kindly as Elaine stalks over and hugs him, throwing him off balance for a moment. He laughs, as he adjusts his stance to keep him and his companion upright. "Elaine, I don't recommend choking me before you've been properly introduced," he says, his amusement plain.
Elaine releases him and he straightens and turns to Celia offering her a warm smile as Richard offers introductions. "This is Thomas and Elaine Lindsay, the caretakers of my estate. They have worked for my family longer than I have been alive. If you have need of anything, do not hesitate to ask them." he looks to Thomas and Elaine then nods to Celia. "This is my betrothed, Celia Byrnes," he states, stumbling over the last name momentarily.
"It is a pleasure to meet you," Celia says giving the couple a nervous smile as the general walks up to them.
"Is everything ready?" he asks.
"Aye, Sir. We figure it is best to eat first,"
Richard nods. "Yes, let's do that. Take some time to talk and plan."
The others nod agreement and they head into the house, grateful to get out of the cold.
The evening goes on and Celia finds herself in Thomas and Elaine's quarters, Richard is off speaking to Thomas and the general. Elaine is working on mixing the dye for her hair as they try to find things to talk about.
"You should remove your blouse, Milady, I don't want to ruin it with this dye," Elaine says as she arranges things around the chair she's set up.
"Please, Ma'am, call me Celia, the other sounds...so not me."
Elaine gives the woman a sympathetic smile. "How long have you known him?" Elaine asks as she motions for the other woman to sit in the chair in front of her.
"We met a few weeks after he started teaching at Glencoe."
"I see," she says as she begins brushing out the woman's hair. "So you've been dating for a while."
Celia takes a slow breath. "Not really. We had dated for a few months, right after we met. I...I wanted more and he- he didn't. So, I left him. He was amicable about it. More than I deserved him to be. Said that if I ever needed anything, to call. Eventually, I began dating another man, and well, he wasn't what I needed. He became physically violent when I accosted him about opening accounts in my name, without my permission. He's the one that evidently set the bomb that destroyed my flat and several others."
Elaine stops brushing the woman's hair and stares at the woman in the mirror as she speaks, she notes the pain in her features. She pat's the younger woman's shoulder before beginning once more to brush out her hair. "I'm sorry," she says quietly.
"Richard dated, well, sort of dated another woman after me. She sort of tricked him into it, I suppose is closer to the truth. He had been drinking," she says quietly, her voice trailing off when she sees Elaine's shocked expression. "I...I shouldn't have said anything. I apologize."
"It's fine. I'd like to hear the whole story. We've heard bits and selected pieces from the general."
Celia ponders the request for several minutes, mulling over how her soon to be husband might feel about her saying something to this woman. She decides to divulge the information, if nothing more than to get the woman to trust her. "This woman offered him a ride home, as he was well past being safe to drive. He says he vaguely remembers talking to her at the pub, but not the ride home or anything until he awoke the next morning...with her in his bed." Elaine gasps, before quickly schooling her features to look neutral. "He told her to leave, but she kept showing back up, trying to get him into bed. She even went so far as to claim she was pregnant."
"Claim?"
"He told me that he doubts she ever was. But she brought papers that were supposedly labs saying she was. He let her move in, but he said he slept on the couch. He said she continually tried to get him into bed, to the point he was uncomfortable with her presence."
"But he discovered she wasn't pregnant?"
Celia nods. "She had her cycle. She claimed she miscarried, but he said she didn't act as he thought one would having lost a child. Though how he'd know is beyond me. He then discovered she had tried to add herself to his bank accounts, forging his signature on documents.. So he threw her out. That was months ago, as I understand it."
"And how did the two of you…?"
"When the explosion happened, I called him from the hospital. He came, despite the hour, without hesitation. He gave me the bed. Insisted I take it. He took the couch."
"And now, here you are," Elaine says simply as she applies the dye. "This dye should last a few months, I will get you some to use every six weeks that will be a wash in and rinse out. But this first application needs to be done this way."
"Thank you," Celia says quietly as the woman massages the dye in.
"So, do you know what type of tattoo you'd like?" Elaine asks as she removes her gloves and tosses them into a trash bin.
"Um, I...I hadn't thought about it. Do you know what Richard is going to do?"
Elaine looks up from the sink, where she was rinsing her hands. "He plans to get one?"
"I um, sort of said it in jest, but he seemed serious," she replies. "I was trying to make light of this situation. Trying to come to terms with what the general was suggesting. But perhaps a cross?" she suggests. "I didn't think he'd go through with it, but on the drive up he said he was serious about getting one."
Elaine gives a nod, "That would be appropriate. Classic, simple. What type of cross?" she asks.
"I have a necklace. It's in my purse, wherever it was put. But something like that. Perhaps on one of my shoulderblades?"
Elaine smiles, "I shall go see if I can fetch it, if you don't mind my going into your purse. It would be good to have an example."
After a brief hesitation, she nods. "It would be fine."
"I'll also see if I can find you a shirt to put on while the color sets," she replies as she heads out the door, leaving Celia alone in the quarters.