Waverly awoke in the guest room from a frightening chill that ran over her. She sat up a bit, shivering from the still air, and glanced around the room. The window was still open, explaining why it was freezing, and Nicole was set in front of the dead fire with her cloak draped across her body, her head lolled to the side like a dead body. Waverly clutched the sheets to her chest, trying not to get caught by the frozen air, but escaped for a brief moment to close the window and light the fireplace again. As she sparked a new fire, Waverly knelt before it to warm herself before taking to the day's work. She held still as a thick cloth was draped over her. Glancing up, she spotted Nicole silently walk to change into her uniform, departing to the washroom before either could say a word. Waverly watched her leave and tightened the cloak around her shoulders, tucking her head against her knees as she was transfixed by the flames dance around the crackling and charred wood.
"Deciding to spend the day plotting your new dream as a pyromaniac?" Wynonna's playful voice chimed through the room.
"Ha. Ha. Ha," she sarcastically remarked as she turned towards her sister. Waverly placed the cloak on Nicole's bed and stretched a bit before leaving the room with Wynonna. "How did you sleep?"
"Very well, actually, despite the old memories there. What about you, why were you in here?"
"I did not feel the need to retrieve Nicole here if I was just going to go down the hall to my room, so I just… yeah," she sighed in explanation. "What, uh, what are you doing here?"
"I was hoping we could escape, it's only," Wynonna checked her watch pendant, letting it fall back against her chest, "eight o'clock, so if we go now, we should be back before anyone needs us."
"That depends on where we go."
"I was thinking not too far away, maybe to Derelict?"
"Really?"
"I enjoy it there, besides, I thought you liked Derelict, too."
"From a distance, other than that, I tend to enjoy having my head on my shoulders."
"Technically it's on your neck," she corrected with a slight prod of Waverly's shoulder.
"You know what I mean."
"I do, I just choose to ignore it. Now, are you coming or not?" her sister persuaded with a slight dance.
"Fine, I need to change, but in five minutes."
"Same spot?"
"Yes, same spot. Tell Aunt Augustine we are leaving, though. She would send the entire town and the King's Army to search for us."
"Fantastic," she chuckled with a hearty clap on her back.
Waverly scoffed at her and went to her chambers to prepare for their latest endeavor. She felt the rush of adventure lighting her heart and soul again with a fire she once thought extinguished by her duties in Purgatory. As much as she missed Wynonna, there was a new side to Waverly that hadn't been explored yet. It was the same vice grip her sister had over her own fate to never let another person bind her in one place without a fight or a compromise in her favor. By the time she finished dressing in common clothes, Waverly knocked on Nicole's door, taking a quick moment to fix her hair as the door was opened.
"Good day, M'Lady," she greeted. "How did you sleep?"
"Very well, it was cold in the morning though, I worried that you might have caught something from the chill."
"I feel quite fine, madam, thank you though. So, where are you off to?" she noted her clothes.
"Just spending some quality time with Wynonna," she dismissed with a small shrug.
"You two are not planning any trouble, right, because I would have to deal with your mess," Nicole joked with just a small note of sincerity in her tone.
"I would hope not. I do plan to keep an eye on her so she doesn't cause any serious tiffs between us and the locals."
"I understand this is your time together, but would it not be wise to take a guard along in case anything happens?"
"I'm sure she and I will fair quite well without your very keen and watchful eye, thank you, Haught."
"Of course, but I do insist you at least tell us where you two are off to and what time you plan on returning in case anything were to go array."
"Of course, Wynonna has already informed my Aunt of our whereabouts and as such."
"Good," Nicole briefly nodded, stopping herself from asking any more questions. "Is there anything else you wanted from me, Ma'am?"
"No, just to thank you for watching over me."
"Mm, well, it is my job, but I enjoy it very much," she flirted with a small dimple laden smile. "Now, I must go visit your Aunt."
Waverly frustratedly blushed as she tried to hold back her grin. She moved out of the doorway as Nicole began to pass her, "What for?"
"She wanted to speak to me about my current place in Purgatory, and I may run through a few of her affairs before the day is through. Not too sure she will be pleased with the new Lady taking time off from her mentorship before she too is passed down this realm."
"I'm quite sure you are right to say that, but unlike myself, Wynonna was trained to rule the day she was born."
"Was this not to become your eldest sister's fief?"
Waverly only shrugged in response, "I believe she was to be married off rather than to stay and rule like Wynonna."
"I know I should not pry, but that does seem quite curious."
"Mm, trust me when I say that the more you stay here, the more curious it gets, and the less sane you become."
Nicole cocked her head at her Mistress' comment, only brushing it off as she made her way to Curtis' office. "Have a great time out, Ma'am."
"Waverly," she called out to the knight.
"Huh?"
"My friends call me Waverly, Haught."
"Waverly, okay, well then I'm not Haught, I'm Nicole."
"I am very sure you are both," she joked, her cheeks hot with blush.
Nicole only shook her head as she tried to hold back the scoff, her cheeks becoming flush as she turned away from the audacious young Lady. Seemingly satisfied with her banter, Waverly continued to the kitchen where she and her sister had escaped to in their youth. They would hide in the pantries until their Mother or their Governess would find them and drag them to yet another boresome lesson. She rested against the counter that still had the remnants of toast crumbs and dried custards for their breakfast that was to be served within the hour. The young Lady plucked a dirt dusted apple from a basket next to her, brushing off the thin sheen of debris on her pants before she took a bite from the now shining spot. Hearing the brief footsteps from her sister, Waverly hopped from her spot on the counter and continued off to the stables with Wynonna.
"Nicole is very chivalrous," Waverly began.
"Nicole?" she inquired.
"The knight."
"Oh, yes, I would hope she was a good knight, doubt J.C. would send us a dud," she prodded. "So, first name basis already, I did not realize you craved friendship that bad."
"I was wrong to think all young soldiers were like Champ," she admitted as she mounted Ignis.
"Please tell me you aren't getting courted by him?"
"Oh no, he was fun to mess around with, but I could never affirm his callings after… nevermind."
"After what? I have much to catch up on, so now rather than later would be the perfect time to tell me any rumors or secrets. Why do you no longer see him?" she pressed as they passed the fortified walls of their old home.
"We can talk about him once I have a drink in my hand." Waverly took her mare's reins and brought her to a slow gallop until they broke through Purgatory and began through the Tracker's Pass to Derelict.
Wynonna followed close behind, trying to pass her sister up as they chased one another to the busy town. The dense thickets of brush and trees that guarded the dirt road began to thin out as the minutes passed for their journey. Wynonna recalled the old trees that had been cleared or fallen through the brief time she was gone, the shifting seasons that got the better of the ancient fauna from their ancestor's time, and how much her sister had changed. True when she left her younger sibling was only eleven, but in the seven years that had passed, Wynonna noticed the new colder aspects of her personality that had begun to cover her once painfully timid manners. Ruling over Purgatory had made her harder than she ever had been as a child, which seemed to be an obvious product of their time apart. All the same, it was quite a disarming change in demeanor for the Child Ruler of Purgatory.
She slowed as they arrived in the small town of Derelict. In the early hours of the day, there was little life in the streets, everyone must have either been inside working or praying, as they noted the few locals passing from building to building with their poor wares and feeble possessions that needed mending. By the time the two royals neared Derelict's local tavern- the nicest part of town- music with the vociferous comments of the patrons leaking from the walls and windows. Wynonna hitched her horse by the window and pushed her way through the front door. A hush raced through the bar as the locals looked upon their visitors. Those who were just passing continued their private conversations- only disturbed by those around them- while the others studied the young women. Waverly was recognizable there but to the patrons, Wynonna was only an old rumor or memory of the old Lord that once ruled over Derelict. The Earps placed themselves in the dark corner with their drinks as they continued their conversation.
"So, Johnathan Chambers III, what happened with him?" Wynonna asked as she settled into the booth.
"I grew tired of him. I thought that, maybe, just maybe he would mature by the time he finished with the academy, but he never was able to pass so his maturation never occurred."
"How did he fail, I thought they let almost anyone matriculate through?"
"He was the almost that could never get through."
"Anything is possible I guess. When I think about it, he is an idiot. So, what is he doing now?"
"I'm not quite sure, doing whatever odd jobs he needs to in order to keep his family's name, but when I last saw him, he was in the Bull's Head Inn as the local drunkard."
"Hmm," Wynonna chuckled with a glance at her drink.
"Well, that was fun, but we should go back before anyone sees us."
"But we only got here a few minutes ago. I thought you would want to talk a bit more? What else has happened since I was gone?"
"Not much, there was only one thing that happened," she shyly began.
"Tell me." Wynonna relaxed back into the wooden booth and hugged the mug to her chest.
"Well, a few years ago, there was this thing that happened," she carefully explained. Waverly pieced together the story, "Five years ago, King Carlo's Army was traveling to J.C."s palace and they must have been tracked down by the Swedes because once they reached Purgatory, their army came tearing into the valley."
"Oh my, how did they even get here?" Wynonna asked, horror creeping across her face.
"They must have been stalking them through the woods when they saw them stop here."
"Well, what happened?"
"We fought them," Waverly nonchalantly sighed to prevent her sister from worrying.
"You- wait- How many Swedes were there?"
"Twenty-five, I believe. That doesn't matter though, this whole event still connects to Champ. Can you believe that when I elicited his help, and even that could have aided in his graduation, he just thought I was being childish and hysterical?"
"I have no time to care about your mistake in trusting him," Wynonna dismissed, "Did you get hurt? How long was it, obviously you won. Did we lose anyone?"
"Waverly set her cup down to look up at her sister. "Well, that's how we lost Uncle Curtis."
Wynonna slowly nodded as the news hit her. "I daren't ask as I had hoped he had just gone on a trip, but… I'm so sorry."
She shook her head and smiled, "He took a fair amount of Swedes down with him. I-"
"What about you?"
"I came out with clean hands, but I helped draw out the plans for our soldiers to hopefully aide them in their skirmish."
Her sister proudly smiled at her and reached a hand out to her. "I'm glad you protected our home, Waves."
"It was what we were taught to do. Family always comes first, right?"
"Yes," she agreed, "Always."
Nicole rested back in her saddle as she carried out the Elder Lady McCready affairs. She truly wasn't too keen on being the errand girl for royals, but at least these seemed to be more appreciative of her work than those she had previously worked for. Once she broke through the Tevinter glades, the young knight took the right fork to Derelict to hand her letter to their mayor and to buy a few things for her new employer.
During her trek on the main road through town, she noticed Waverly's distinct mare hitched outside the local tavern, stripped of her royal bearings, a smart detail of her owner, but still concerning in such a dangerous area. Nicole pulled away from the building, choosing to place a safe distance between her and the Earp sisters as she continued down the cobblestone street.
With the sun at its peak, the sisters found their way back to Purgatory and their tasks of the day. Waverly spent the journey from the stables following her sister through the old stronghold. She wandered near her, glancing at the partitions that split the many renovations their home had gone through since the three centuries it had been standing. The memories of the stark contrast of her childhood and her young adulthood struck her as she finally took in the dark hallway of her home.
Waverly prodded her sister in the side, "We need to know about Robert's next move, Wynn."
"I know, I might have a contact up my sleeve who can worm his way into their conclave," she thought on their route through the hallway.
"Who?"
"Do you remember… John?"
"Wait, not John Henry Holiday?" Waverly inquired as she stopped in her tracks.
"Yes," she confirmed, defensively blurting out, "he is reliable."
"I would beg to differ," she laughed in disbelief.
"Have some faith, I know he would not dare backstab an Earp."
"Okay, then I guess I'll put all of my faith into a drunk, gambling, amorous, liar."
"So, someone like me?" Wynonna admitted.
Her sister took a pause as she looked at her. "Well, this is your decision, not mine."
"That was not the answer I was hoping for. Just trust me, I plan to elicit some help from him, maybe we can learn a thing or two while he's out? As you said, this is my decision."
"Do what you wish, just call upon us when you find what you are looking for." Waverly rolled her eyes and went to the old garden.
She found her way to the heart of the old castle where a garden had been placed since its foundation. It was a small patch of land with a faded gazebo in the center and a few small trees in the corners to extend the shade from the overhanging roof. Waverly found an old bench under one of the awnings and relaxed to regard the way the wind blew through the bushes and branches. Once more, soft clicking against the stone ground broke the tranquil spot she had tried to escape to. Her young guard approached her from the Southern Wing wearing her base uniform and riding boots, a more casual costume than she had previously worn. Nicole stood beside her at attention as she waited to be acknowledged.
"So, what have you been up to?" the young Lady inquired, sliding over to make room.
"Nothing too interesting, I spent some time organizing your Aunt's affairs here, then she sent me to Derelict to talk to the Mayor and to buy a few things before I returned. How was your time there? I would hope uneventful," she noted in a scathing tone.
Waverly warily leaned away from Nicole to look at her, "Excuse me?"
"I may be mistaken-"
"Your tone surely assumes more than I did while I was out," she candidly retorted. "My lord, you have forgotten yourself."
"I apologize, but it is my duty to watch over-"
"I do not need you to watch over or protect me, Haught, I can assure you of that. As I have said many times, I have gotten along well without the covetous hand you and my sister have placed over me."
"I understand you believe you are an invincible twenty-one-year-old noble, but you have an enormous target on your back as an Earp and I fear you may fall victim to your careless actions," Nicole tried to reason. "My lord, you are stubborn even when you are in danger."
"I see no threat approaching me," she huffed in annoyance, "and I hate to be as stubborn as a mule, but one thing I really despise more than anything else in the world is being treated like a frail woman. You of all people should understand, and- I hope you will be forgiving of my tone- I do not need you to be my warden."
Nicole stood back, thinking about her next words before fervently responding, "I'm sorry you feel that way about my work but I wasn't trying to be overbearing. I just… I care about you."
"What do you mean when you say that, because with all due respect I feel confused when I'm with you," she desperately confided.
"What do you mean?"
"I- nevermind," she seethed, standing up and leaving the garden.
"Waverly," she flusteredly called after her.
"Please, just leave me alone," Waverly begged. "I can't do this anymore."
"What, do what?"
"Pretend that I'm okay with everything changing," she almost sobbed, storming away from Nicole.
She watched her mistress escape from the courtyard and gritted her teeth in response to her seemingly childish reaction. Nicole couldn't really blame her, much had changed in the brief time she had been with the Earps, and loss of power to an older sibling was something she had witnessed- and happily ignored- before in her different deployments, but she felt slight sympathy towards Waverly's plight.
As requested, Nicole kept her distance from her mistress as they both acclimated to their new roles in Purgatory. Along with the small tasks asked of her by the Earp family, the young knight took on jobs with Nedley to recruit more constables and patrolled the border with Dolls; it was the kind of space she needed from the Earp sisters. While she thought it a flippant statement, the younger Earp was right in saying that the proceeding weeks she stayed in town, the stranger things she began to notice there. There seemed to be a fair amount of pagan rituals taking place at night, as seen by Nicole and Dolls in their early morning patrols. Although it seemed to be normal in the land as not even the Elder Lady McCready batted an eye to the report.
As winter began to close around the valley, Nicole began to dawn her winter gear of thick coats while the rest the Earp women swaddled themselves in thick wool blankets around the dining table and walking through the drafty manor. After a frozen night back from her lone patrol, Nicole quietly walked back into the castle with Wynonna's request for new liquor from Shorty. She made her way through the manor's lowly lit walls until she finally happened upon the Lady's room. She loudly rapped on the door with the bottles in her hands for Wynonna to see.
"What have you brought today?" she asked as she opened the door. The older Earp sister backed away as she read the labels. "What is this?"
Nicole pushed her way in, handing the bottles to the noble as she began to take off her armor, "Shorty said that one of his friends sent it to him as a gift last week. This is a beer from the New World."
"Imported? I'll thank Shorty next time I pass through," she noted as she looked through the glass bottle. "I'd hate to waste it, but I want to get lashed," she laughed.
"Lashed? Anyway, the other one is more common," she noted, "He said it was an "Old Friend"? I'm not quite sure."
"Must just be the house lager."
"I would assume so. What did you bring?"
"Some rum I imported recently."
"Rum?"
"It's a sugar-based spirit. Really strong, my personal favorite, but it might knock you on your ass."
Nicole loosened her jerkin's buckles and sat on the floor by Wynonna's bed. "I think I would not mind having a taste of it then."
The young ruler handed her back the liquor and dove under the bed to retrieve a box with a few bottles of rum. She pulled one out and handed it to Nicole with a malicious smile on her lips. She uncorked it and glanced back at her, holding it to her lips before lowering it again as the pungent smell invaded her nose.
She coughed a bit and asked, "How strong is this?"
"Just try it," she encouraged, "It will help you relax."
Nicole held her breath and took a long swig of the brew. With a few guttural coughs that she felt could have brought up her last meal, she let the taste sting her mouth and clear out her sinuses. With another breath, she took a second swig and shrugged.
"Okay, not too bad," she admitted.
"I thought you would enjoy it."
"Mm, not really, but I must admit that this is nice."
"I happened upon it while I was briefly in the Caribbean."
"Really, how long were you there?"
"Not too long. From 1619 until '22. It was definitely something I will never forget."
"Where did you travel?"
"Only around Wales and the New World."
"So what made you come back?"
"I felt the need to," she seemed to whisper. "Why did you decide to stay?"
"I am glad to be in a place where I am needed and wanted," she innocently confided.
"Okay, enough with the sad affairs, I really want to see what Shorty has in store for me," she laughed as she opened one of the new bottles. "So this one was the-"
"The one he imported."
"Did he say what it was?" Nicole shrugged in response, so Wynonna smirked and took a quick swig. "Ooh, this… this is so sweet," she chuckled, "This tastes like… well, try it." Nicole warily took it from her and drank, experiencing the same reaction. "See, very sweet and light." After a few moments of trading liquors, Wynonna began, "I have to admit that I'm glad you showed up, I fear Waverly became very isolated while I was gone. I think she needs a new and exciting friend as yourself," she admired with bright eyes.
Nicole chuckled to herself, "I think she would beg to differ-"
"No, I know she admires you and I really wish you two would stop whatever feud seems to have disturbed your relationship and be friends once more."
"Are you sure, I thought she was less than favorable towards me?"
"I have no idea where you got that idea from?" Wynonna scoffed as she took the bottle of rum from Nicole's hands. She leaned over to grab her watch from the nightstand, getting pulled back by the young knight so she was upright again. She held it up to the light and recited the time, "My watch says that it is only a quarter past 7, so maybe around 8 o'clock, go talk to my sister about whatever is going on."
"I don't-"
She waved her hand at Nicole as she shoved the bottle back into her chest, "Drink."
Nicole corked the bottles and put everything back in its place before resting the intoxicated royal in her bed. Wynonna mumbled in her sleep and clung to the knight's jerkin, her breath reeking of rum and beer. Nicole tried pulling away from her hand, finally ripping it off and leaving the room. She retightened her jerkin and walked to her room, her armor draped over her shoulders. Her journey through the Eastern Wing brought her past the row of pictures from every Earp and their family who lived there. She even found the current family who lived there. It was a yellowed oil painting dated from 1606. Nicole stood before it, taking in the few details that had survived the aging process, yet still showed off the minor wealth of the ancestral family.
She continued through the warm walkway until she finally went to her room and dropped off her belongings. From the corner of her eye, she spotted movement by the window, "What do I have the pleasure of your acquaintance."
A soft sigh broke through the silent room before her guest spoke, "I apologize for lashing out at you. I should not have been so rude."
"I should not be overbearing, Madam," Nicole returned.
"Wynonna should not have used you. I talked to her about that and I hope she respects my request," Waverly dismissed as she neared her knight.
"I just hope our tiff hasn't affected our relationship," Nicole timidly asked, taking her place by the desk. "Um, you said something in the garden that I cannot help but dwell on. Um, if I may, you mentioned that when you were around me, you felt confused or I made you feel confused? What did you mean by that?"
Waverly stood up straight and took another tentative step towards Nicole, "I am not quite sure, I wish I could recall the reason because now, I feel comfortable with you." When Nicole took another step back into the desk, the young Earp changed her approach, "I really would like to keep up appearances."
Nicole fiddled with the edge of the chair, no longer meeting her eyes. "So… um, that is the only reason you're here, to talk and rekindle our friendship."
"Yes," she whispered as she walked to the door, "That was the only reason."
Once the door closed behind Waverly, Nicole huffed, "Liar."
Nicole twisted around in her bed as she awoke to another cold morning. She drew her attention to a few letters that had been placed under the candlestick on her nightstand. She sat up which made her covers collect in her lap as she pulled them out from under the heavy candlestick and read the return addresses on the notes. Nicole tore it open to reveal the flowing script of her old friend from Leeds. It seemed to be her annual Christmas invitation from the Darnleys with updates from the year. She took another letter sent to her from home, learning about her younger brother's marriage and the passing of their neighbor Elder Mrs. Renners. Nicole placed them back on the nightstand and went along with her routine of washing up and dressing before leaving for breakfast with the rest of the servants and guards.
"Slept well, Haught?" Dolls asked from the counter.
"Yes, but not enough," she chuckled.
"I heard you didn't get in until well after supper," he noted.
"With a few gifts for the Lady of the fief," Nicole smirked as she finished her small meal. "So, are we going for another patrol this evening?"
"I am, I want you to keep watch while I am away."
"Away? Are you leaving Purgatory?"
"Only for the day, in fact, I plan to be out of here by seven o'clock," he noted glancing at a faulty servant's clock by the door. "I hope nothing happens, but if it does, I trust you will be prepared."
"Are you sure?" she asked as she pulled on her cloak, "May I ask where you're off to?"
"I received a letter from a dear friend back home," Dolls told her as he pulled on a winter coat to face the harsh morning. "Take care, Haught."
"Safe travels, Xavier," she called after him as he left out of the back door.
Nicole cleared her plate and went to her daily tasks of checking in on Nedley's progress in recruitments, then to the Elder Lady McCready in her husband's office to run a few errands for her. She knocked on the door and waited for her to be acknowledged from the other side. After being affirmed to enter, Nicole walked in and stood by the entrance until the greying woman, who was sitting by the window, addressed her. Lady Augustine turned to her from her spot overlooking the few farms and smithery within the confines of the fortress.
"How is it with the Revenants?" she casually inquired.
"It almost seems as if they're retreating. Last night I saw half the number of them camping. There seem to be only twelve left including the man I would assume to be Robert Svane. I have hope that the snow scared them away."
"I do not believe so. Nothing scares those people, not even a demon," she huffed looking back out of the window.
"Are you alright ma'am, you seem slightly distracted."
"I'm fine, I just worry about my nieces," she quickly explained. "They may seem impenetrable on the outside, but they can both be quite vulnerable to those they are close to. They need people like us to course-correct and protect them from harm's way."
Nicole nodded and then asked, "Might you have any tasks for me this morning or shall I come by later?"
Augustine thought for a few moments and shrugged, "I have nothing of importance, for now, so you are dismissed."
"Thank you, madam," she bowed.
"Oh," she interjected, "before you leave, could you tell Waverly I wish to see her before noon?"
"Of course," Nicole bowed again, leaving the bright room to find the youngest Earp.
Searching through the dark twisting hallways, she happened upon the young royal in the heart of the fortress where the garden was. With winter settling in, many of the once golden and amber trees had shed their leaves for the bare branches which let the light beat upon the old gazebo where Waverly stood. She was gazing at the sky from the shaded area. Nicole approached and knocked on one of the thin banisters. She always hated interrupting her moments alone, as disturbing her broke Nicole's voyeuristic peace.
Waverly turned around to face her, not an ounce of surprise on her face. She politely smiled before greeting her, "I should have known it was you. You always know where I am."
"It was not the first place I checked, ma'am," she cheekily admitted.
"So, business or pleasure," she casually asked as she leaned against the old wooden railing with crossed arms.
"Your aunt wishes to see you before lunch is served."
"Mhm, thank you, Nicole," she nodded, turning back around.
"Aren't you going to see her?"
"In a while," she half-heartedly dismissed, "I'm busy."
Nicole furrowed her brow at the excuse and approached her, "With what, if I may ask?"
Waverly slightly turned her shoulder to look at the young knight. She shrugged at the humble garden, "Living? Why are you so keen on doing everything so quickly?"
Nicole's face twisted in confusion as she thought about her answer, "I would not say that I live life quickly, maybe… with gusto?"
"Hm," she pondered, "interesting."
"How we only live so long, why not do everything?" she asked as she found her spot next to Waverly.
"Because sometimes things you really want, take patience, so why not use your time here to enjoy every moment of the journey?"
"The journey?" She joked, "You sound like a humanist."
"I take no offense," she casually prodded, "why don't you take your time?"
"What do you mean?"
"You seem to be everywhere at once?"
"I am where I am needed."
"So that is why you decided to stay?"
Nicole chuckled at the series of questions, "Yes, I assume you need someone to vent or talk to? Although I am slowly regretting staying longer than originally planned."
"I am quite sure this conversation will repay you soon if you are patient enough."
Haught cocked her head at the other woman's prediction, "In what way?"
"I do not know, I'm no psychic," she joked. "I only know that whatever you want most in life takes time."
"Hopefully not a lifetime, we only have so long before we are gone forever."
Waverly sighed and stood on her own, keeping one hand on the banister, "I think I shall go see my Aunt. Would you like to join me for a stroll afterward?"
"Not too far away from the others, Dolls is not in Purgatory today."
"I'll retrieve you after my conversation. Oh," Waverly interjected as she took Nicole's hand and added, "good morning."
"Good morning," she whispered, trying to search for an appropriate spot to look.
Nicole watched her leave, not realizing that she was holding her breath until she quietly exhaled, and looked around at the simple garden. There was not much, just hardy bushes and bare trees around the perimeter. It was quaint but quite boring to her and small with just a bit of rubbish in the presently cold season. Nicole left the small atrium and wandered the halls in Xavier's usual rounds through the manor and then out to fortress walls and locals, passing them by on their usual tasks. She couldn't help but dwell on Waverly's words under the gazebo, wishing that not everything she said was surrounded in secrecy or philosophically confusing. Nicole closed her hand around the hilt of her sword as she meandered through the enclosed space, a boring but important task as she learned from both Nedley and previous deployments.
"How are you feeling," a voice surprised her, "because I feel horrible."
Nicole turned around to Wynonna standing by the blacksmith's house. She wore her usual wardrobe with the addition of repaired boots by their cobbler. "Well, you did nip a bit more than me. Actually a lot more, I am quite shocked to see you here at all, I almost thought you would spend the entire day in bed."
"I am not that much of a lightweight," she laughed. "Did you ever talk to my sister?"
"Yes, she surprised me in my quarters."
"Oh, because I was going to warn you to not listen to me when I drink. Did it all work out?" she tentatively asked.
"Yes, it did," Nicole affirmed as she relaxed a bit, slouching in her stance.
"Well then I am glad that drunk Wynonna is just as wise as this one," the older Earp joked.
Nicole only rolled her eyes as she heard rushed steps approaching her. "There you are."
"Speaking of the devil," Wynonna noted to her sister.
"Hm very funny. Are you ready for our stroll?" she asked, her hand flush against Nicole's back.
"Yes, farewell, Wynonna," the young knight smirked.
"Have fun with your boring walk, I'm going to get a new sword."
"Come," Waverly smirked while guiding her from the smith shop. Once they were out of earshot, she asked, "So, tell me more about yourself."
"What do you want to know?"
"Anything, I would not mind learning more about you," she suggested.
"I must admit that there is nothing truly special about me," Nicole confessed.
Waverly furrowed her brows as they continued around the fort past a tailor's shop. "Any other well-off woman forced into the academy would reach whatever rank they so wished or paid for and then leave with their honor improved. Any sensible woman would have been married by now to keep up appearances," she interrogated.
"Sensible?"
"The average woman, then," she corrected.
"Maybe I am not looking to be sensible or average," Nicole teased as they wound their way through the lower hallways of the Earp manor. "I would also wager that you believe that about yourself unless we are alike as I have thought."
"Alike how?"
Nicole stopped in her tracks and smoothed out her hair, "May I ask why you were so keen on having me stay here when I was a mere stranger to you?"
Waverly thought for a moment and shrugged as she looked up at her. "Why does that matter?"
The young knight took a moment before answering in her own way, "Rarely have I seen such kindness from a stranger, and I find it heart-warming to receive as welcoming invitation like the one you gave me," Nicole blathered, searching around Waverly's warm turquoise eyes. "I wanted to thank you for that gesture, it meant a lot to me."
"You're-"
She took Waverly's hands in her own, "You asked why I chose to live abnormally, or abnormally in the eyes of England," she quickly righted. "I choose to live in a way that makes me happy." She released her friend's hands. "I apologize for overstepping any marks."
"I am sure you haven't," she reassured her, carefully bringing her hand to Nicole's jaw, "I'm just unsure of what to do," Waverly whispered.
Nicole felt her heartbeat out of her chest as she brushed the younger Earp's cheek with her thumb. "Whatever feels natural to you."
"I just… I'm not quite sure what I want, I apologize," she remorsefully whispered.
Nicole pulled away, clearing her throat and nodding, "Please, don't apologize, I understand. I just hope my advances haven't trifled with um… what we have."
Waverly glanced on the ground, "Friendship, then?"
"Anything but strangers is preferred," she wagered, earning a single nod from Waverly. "Would you like to walk a while longer?"
"Yes, I have nothing else to do except hide away in my room," she joked.
They went through the archaic first level made almost entirely of original and refurbished mismatching stones that made up the second rendition of the Purgatory fortress before getting up to the second level which had been built during their grandfather's rein. Waverly glanced at her guest every moment or so to gauge her emotions. Guilt raked her mind as Nicole rarely met her gaze, too distracted by her thoughts to truly engage with her. Waverly passed by the staircase to the atrium and a few passages for their servants as they approached their old ballroom.
She bit her lip a bit before stating, "I was fairly young, but before everything happened, we held grand parties almost every night. My mother would make any reason to invite people here."
"Do you remember any of them?"
"Yes," she laughed, "I remember the music and food. These hallways were always lit up and there were people from all over Europe here. It was what inspired me to learn different languages. Mother would introduce me to her friends and family from distant lands and speak to them in their language. She… she gave me my first language and geography lessons," Waverly ruefully chuckled.
"Would you believe me if I said that I have been here before?" Nicole asked as the young mistress pushed open the doors. Her heart almost dropped to see the drab room, "But that was a long time ago."
"I do not recall," she tried. "When were you here?"
"I was here when I was eleven, so 1609 if I am correct," Nicole recalled, as they walked deeper in.
"Well I would have been quite young, so forgive me if I do not recall the night."
She laughed at the young woman's words, "I think you might be embarrassed by what I remember."
"Had we met then?"
"Not really, but you seemed fascinated by me the entire night."
"Good lord."
"You kept asking my fairly forward questions about my accent and where I was from, then you asked about Shannon and what it was like there. At the time I thought it was annoying, but now my opinion has changed."
"Oh my, that is… not surprising."
"Every time I tried to walk away, you would just keep following me so I made you carry my coat," she laughed.
"My, that is… I have no words," she chuckled. "What else do you remember?"
"I just thought it was nice to have a little servant of my own, made me feel important and my siblings jealous."
"Siblings, how many?"
"I have a sister and three brothers, I'm the second eldest," she admitted as she wandered through the old room. "You know, your sister was not quite happy with your enamored actions towards me, possibly my p[ast]-"
"Which sister?"
"The eldest one, Lady Willa Earp, I believe."
Waverly nodded at that note and approached her, "I never really liked her, she was always so rude to me."
"Sibling rivalry?" Nicole nonchalantly asked as she neared the grand windows, tearing them open to floodlight into the dead room.
"I think it goes deeper than that, I just don't know why."
She turned around, surprised at their distance, "Why do you think that?"
"She just always despised me."
"Well, you were very different in age, I detested my brother until he was sixteen," she confessed.
Waverly proceeded to open the other curtains, "Maybe."
She opened a few remaining curtains, stepping back like an artist to her work to gaze upon the high mountains before her. The old windows let the valley breeze in. "Have you thought about hosting more parties now that Wynonna is ruling? This place could be quickly cleaned up and bring back some of the town's popularity?"
"I guess so, I haven't been thinking about the future since Wynonna's return," she considered, pacing around the stale room, a watchful eye on Nicole as she forced open the large windows. "I loved spending time with old family friends, but they were all my mother's friends."
"Maybe with the help of my connections, you could host?"
"That would be fantastic," she beamed, "I wonder, though, could I meet them beforehand?"
Nicole nodded, producing a letter from her jerkin, "I was going to send something to my friends in Leeds, they invited me to join them for Christmas I was not planning on attending, but I could write a new response to ask if you can join us?"
"I would not want to intrude or leave my Aunt alone during the winter," Waverly politely declined as she walked back to the center of the room. "While you are there, you could always mention me?"
Nicole nodded and neared the double doors, "Of course, anything to help."
"Do they usually invite you for Christmas?"
"Yes, every year since I left. They host a simple party for their friends and family as well as the more notable locals in there. Maybe this winter you could host something here just those you are close to. A small gathering to start?"
"If I were to host something, I would hope you would be in attendance," Waverly requested. "Wynonna would probably be annoyed that you weren't there, too."
Nicole chuckled and shrugged, "Maybe when I return to celebrate the new year?"
"I would love that," Waverly agreed, "truly. Now, where to next?"
"I would love to continue this conversation, but I do have to make my rounds. Thank you for inviting me to this promenade, we should do this more often," she sincerely asked on her way out.
"I would quite enjoy that."