The voices they heard prior to this moment stopped the second the door opened. It worked slowly on its hinges, letting out a painful creak as 'Queen' was revealed to who waited on the other side. There were four figures standing around while one was sitting down. It looked as if they were all in the middle of a conversation, their heads snapped to the door while one of them was mid-gesture.
Her brown eyes widened in surprise.
There was a large figure in the room, who was conveniently the first she recognized. It felt like she was back at her Graduation - as that was the last time she'd seen General Rooke. He stood without his shield and weapon at his side. It was an unusual sight. The moment he saw her, he paused in his movements. She could swear there was confusion in his eyes. She was too stunned to speak, so she looked at who stood beside him instead.
It was Deacon. He must have been talking with Rooke before they were interrupted. Her head turned to the two other figures in the room. She did not recognize them at all. There was a tall man standing in front of a couch with a device held in his hands. The moment he looked up, she noticed a long beak protruding from his mask. Once his face was completely in sight, she recognized it as a Plague Doctor.
He wore a long, red robe matched by a circular hat. His clothes completely obscured his skinny body beyond his hands, and around his thin waist appeared to be some sort of belt holding gears and a key mechanism. She couldn't find any sight of his hair or his ears, as they were covered by black hood he was wearing underneath. There was a hooded shirt that stopped at his shoulders with a slit in the middle, revealing his robe underneath. It was all a pattern of red, black, and gold. Hanging from the folds of his hood was another clockwork gear with a couple of tassels dangling from it.
'Queen' looked down to the only man in the room sitting. He appeared to be some sort of jester, as he wore a cap with bells on the ends. Only the upper half his face was hidden by a mask, which had a long nose with two faces on it. The left side was white while the right remained a dark gray - both had special eyebrows as well as wrinkles designed into the mask. The white one was perky and happy while the dark part looked angry with its eyebrow furrowed. Above his lip was a mustache - one end curled up in the air while the other faced downwards. He had a goatee as well as a beard forming on his jawline.
Her eyes traveled down to his costume. It was just as two-sided as his mask; looking like they were two separate outfits sewn together. On his left shoulder was a blue cape attached by a clockwork gear and held by a small belt. The left side had a red-and-blue harlequin design while the right was a plain blue shirt with a white sleeve. She noticed only one of his hands was equipped with a glove while the other remained bare. In the gloved hand he held a marotte, which looked exactly like his mask's faces. He wore baggy shorts with long white and black socks - ending with two different shoes on either feet.
She stared at him longer than intended, trying to comprehend what his getup was.
Her staring was interrupted by Kane motioning her further into the room. She smiled apologetically, approaching the men waiting for them. They turned to face her, except the man who remained sitting on the couch.
"Get up." Kane instructed impatiently. He waited a few moments before joining the line the others have formed.
'Queen' stopped when she was in front of them. Nothing was said as they took in the sight of her, and she with them. The tall plague doctor - who came up to Rooke's shoulders, which was impressive in her eyes - finally broke the silence by moving his head to Kane.
"Look who's finally back." He remarked, his voice much lighter than she would have assumed. "I was fixing the rest of the communicators. There seemed to be a universal error, regarding the-"
"I know what it was. Ensure it won't happen again." He turned to the woman beside him. "...'Queen', these are my Elite. Members of my Court that I fully entrust with my plans and work."
Her attention came to Rooke first. "Hello, General."
He opened his mouth until her boyfriend stepped between them. "-You already know Rooke and Deacon. This, however-" He dipped his head in the plague doctor's direction. "-Is Bishop. One of my strategists, engineers, and...'tinkerer', if you will." He moved his hand to the jester. "-And that is Phule. Our Court Jester who happens to work for the King as well."
She was mesmerized. More men who wore masks and had clockwork gears on them. She'd heard of the Elite before, as there were rumors of them in Valencia, but this was the first she heard of their names. She never imagined what they'd look like…it was far from what she she expected.
"What is Toscani doing here?" Rooke asked. Clearly he was trying to address the elephant in the room.
"Exactly why I called you all here - 'Queen' will be staying with us, and I'm training her privately from now on. I'd like for you to assist her as well."
It was hard to tell what their reactions were. She noticed the apprehensive look Phule's way. Deacon had the least surprise of them all and remained silent through this exchange. Bishop, however, didn't take his words in good light.
"'Train' her..? What FOR? There is too much to do! You've already been distracted enough lately."
Deacon bopped his head in agreement. Kane easily brushed it off. "That's why I am asking for your help. Anything I can't do, I am entrusting you to teach her. It's important to me that we do not argue on this."
"-I would be honored to teach a past soldier of mine again. Especially one with as much rigor as Tos- 'Queen'." Rooke humbly butted in. She smiled at his words, honored he was willing to teach her once more.
"Am I missing something here?" The jester stepped in. "Rooke, why were you a drill sergeant?"
This question formed silence in the room. The General looked uncomfortable with answering. He stared at the floor a long time before quietly responding, "-As a punishment."
"Punishment..?"
Kane explained the rest with a breeze. "I've found that Rooke has been too...kind lately, towards ones he should not be expressing such generosity to." Rooke hung his head. "It was a test to see if he could mentor a tough solider. I gave him one of the toughest jobs in the Army to do it."
"You wanted to test me - for being 'too easy' on my men." He added. Kane nodded in confirmation.
"That's right."
Both Phule and 'Queen' were flabbergasted at this information. He chose to remain quiet, which was the smartest thing to do in this situation. She didn't pick up on that hint and looked at the man beside her incredulously.
"We were told it was a special opportunity to have the General teaching us...but now you're telling me Rooke was my drill sergeant because you were punishing him?"
"I can't have someone in his field sparing more people! It's not something I can allow to happen." He replied aggressively. At her surprised look, he corrected his tone. "Safe to say, he passed my test. He brought me you, and you were more than promising."
She narrowed her eyes in thought. "..Was that the reason for the 'studies' you were making on us? To see if we were becoming a tough soldier under Rooke's guidance?"
"..Yes."
It sounded like he had more to say, but he was interrupted when some uncomfortable shuffling came somewhere in the room. It was from Deacon, who tapped his cane on the floor impatiently. Kane caught his look and frowned. She gazed between the two of them before looking at the rest of the Elite, who were either avoiding her face or kept silent completely.
She wanted to push further, but decided that now was not an appropriate time. Bishop spoke again, sounding frustrated. He looked at Kane and acted as if 'Queen' wasn't in the room at all.
"So what, is this some sort of trainee you're taking under your wing? A test subject? I do not see why you should be mentoring someone during a time like this."
"She is not a test subject." He spoke through gritted teeth. "She's much more than that."
"-Then, what? An apprentice of some sorts?"
Kane seemed to have a hard time confessing who she was. It should've been easy to tell them, right? She didn't understand why he was hesitating. She opened her mouth to say something until Deacon beat her right to it.
"The two of them are dating." He told Bishop quietly. This news brought more shocked silence into the room. The sudden sound of laughter soon broke it. Everyone's heads turned to Phule, who looked amused by the situation.
"How scandalous! You looked at one of these cadets and decided to take advantage of her? I wonder how this will work out for you."
'Queen' had enough of being transparent and snapped at him. "He did NOT take 'advantage' of me! We both agreed to this! At no point did he ever-"
Phule gave her a sympathetic look. "Don't tell me you're here with him WILLINGLY..?"
The room was difficult to read at that moment. Bishop was staring thoughtfully at them while Rooke seemed to be studying something on the floor. Deacon was quiet as always, but Kane especially looked troubled. Something about this jester's words irritated her, and she wanted none of it.
"What do you mean?" She asked. "He is a wonderful man. A strong, capable-"
"-You don't know him." He interrupted. He moved forward and stopped when he was close to her face. He turned his head so his mask's long nose wouldn't poke her. "The moment you see Kane's true colors...I bet you're going to wish you never stepped through that door."
There was something about his tone now...it was deep and unrecognizable from the voice she heard earlier.
"'True colors'..?"
Kane sounded irritated. "Phule, that's enough."
"What charade has he been playing with you? A gentleman, perhaps? He acts like that when he wants his way with someone. It must've worked - just look at you! A woman he has power over, so impressionable...you're the perfect target for him to-"
"*OOF!*"
The man was abruptly pulled away when someone yanked on his cap. He was sent to the floor as Deacon forced him down. The two of them struggled. Phule had the upper hand until Rooke stepped in. She looked at the spymaster in surprise as he returned to his height.
"Do not mind Phule. He likes to cause trouble." He informed her.
He nodded respectfully at Kane. The Supreme Commander looked thankful as he motioned for Rooke to let him go. Phule returned to his feet with anger on his face. He simply stood there and crossed his arms.
'Queen' wanted to understand what was going on. She looked at Kane. "What was he talking about..?"
Seconds passed until he muttered. "...Nothing."
Bishop watched Phule recover while Rooke moved himself away. He turned back to Kane. "I apologize for my misunderstanding. I would not have believed you've acquired a...partner."
"I do not mean to keep something like this from my children. I understand I will need to explain my absence. For now, you will show her your respect and offer your assistance when she needs it. Do I make myself clear?"
The Elite nodded. There was no sense in arguing anymore. 'Queen' was at a loss for words as she looked between them several times.
"...Children...?"
Phule sounded exhausted. "Tell me she at least knows..."
"Erm-" Kane motioned forward vaguely with the other hand. "'Queen'...my Elite are also my sons. I...probably should have told you that first."
"...Your...what? I-I need to sit down..."
She made her way to the couch, holding her head in her hands. She didn't catch the way the men looked at each other. It was dawning on her that there was so much she didn't know. About Kane and...everything! Why was she only told of these things now? It was important to know he had sons of his own - that should be one of the first things you tell someone in a relationship!
She peeked through her fingers and saw Rooke. She felt sad that the General would be punished like that...he was kind and generous. Perhaps a little too much for a drill sergeant...that may be why the women got away with their flirting...but, still! A man of his esteem didn't deserve such a thing. It made her feel slightly responsible, just knowing she was the outcome of that ordeal.
She sunk further in her hands. She was terribly confused. She heard the sound of footsteps disappearing out of a door. She looked up and noticed Kane approaching. He sat beside her and offered a consoling hand on her shoulder.
He began, "Are you alri-"
"-Why didn't you tell me you had children!?"
She didn't mean to snap, but she felt frustrated. Sensing the tension, he removed his hand and returned it at his side. The other figures in the room inched away, sitting in opposite chairs away from the two. Kane sighed.
"There was too much to tell you as it is, with so little time. I didn't mean to keep it from you. I planned-"
"What other things have you not told me yet?" Her hands began shaking. "All this time I thought you were opening up to me...when it turns out you were just hiding more things!"
He rubbed his temple. "Valerie, please calm down.."
She was about to continue her rant until the door opened. Bishop came into the room carrying a tray of beverages and tea. He leaned down and carefully sat them on the table. He jerked away and motioned uncomfortably to it.
"Some refreshments..."
The plague doctor retreated to his brethren. Things were quiet as Deacon helped himself to some tea while Rooke had a glass of water. 'Queen' took a small drink from the cup they poured for her while avoiding Kane's gaze. The liquid cooled her stomach as well as her temper. She calmed herself down as she sat it back down on the plate.
"I'm sorry for my outburst," She raised her voice so everyone could hear. "It's an honor to meet you all. I've heard a lot about Kane's Elite. I didn't think I would be seeing you so soon."
Her eyes scanned the couch and chairs they were sitting in. She tried to imagine what they looked like under their masks. This was Kane's family. His children. Do they share resemblance to their father, she wondered? Her mind raced when she looked at Rooke and Deacon. Two men she knew...who were related to each other all this time. She never would've guessed that General Rooke and the strange man who showed up on her doorstep were both Kane's sons.
"Now that we've calmed down..." Kane grabbed everyone's attention. "Bishop, you will help me teach 'Queen' a little more of our Army. Rooke, Deacon - you'll begin her training with weapons and combat. And Phule, she will be your protégé while you're working."
The Elite nodded along with the orders they were given. She fidgeted with the handle of her cup. So she'll be working with Rooke and Deacon on her training...and Bishop and Kane with their Army...what exactly did she have to do with the jester? She glanced around and noted the quietness. They were finishing their drinks without another word.
They eventually wrapped things up. Deacon grabbed the tray and empty cups before making his departure. He nodded in 'Queen's direction before he left. Rooke was the only other one to acknowledge her, as Bishop and Phule left the room without uttering another syllable to her. She looked at the floor once they were gone.
Kane was the one to interrupt the silence. They were alone now. "What do you think of them?"
She thought a little before answering. "I don't think they're happy about me being here. And with what Phule said-"
"-You'll have plenty of time to get to know them. Do not let it discourage you."
"Still. I never would've guessed Deacon and Rooke are brothers..."
"-Or my sons?" He finished for her. She nodded. "I'm sorry for not telling you of my family sooner. It just didn't seem important to tell you before."
She sighed. How can she be angry with him? There was a lot on his plate as it is. Although it was big news to her, something small like this must've slipped his mind. She can forgive him for that, at least. But now she wanted answers after meeting them. It brought more confusion her way, and she'd like to have a clear head for once.
She asked the first thing that was on her mind. A ridiculous question, but one she wanted to know, nonetheless:
"...Are you still married?"
He sounded insulted. "Of course not."
"Where is their mother, then?"
Kane tapped his finger on his knuckle. He appeared to have a difficult time answering her question. But if he had children, then there was another woman in his past. Someone he could've been with for a long time, if they had this many together...she had the right to know, at least.
"Not one woman." He finally elaborated. "There were three. Phule's Mother, Deacon and Rooke's...and Bishop's."
She blinked in surprise. So there were different women he had his children with...She tried not to get her thoughts racing. She couldn't get jealous over girls from his past. And seeing how old his Elite were...it must've been a long time since he's been with any of them. She came closer to fill the gap between them, letting him know she was no longer upset.
Kane was conflicted. He hadn't been expecting to talk about this so soon. It involved parts of his past he hadn't thought about for a long time, nor relatively cared for. But since he was involved with a woman, he should elaborate on his love life. He owed that much to her, he thought.
He kept his voice quiet.
"Phule was my first son. His mother was...arguably, my first love. A foreigner who lived in my city when I was a teenager - she spoke a language I happened to be learning at the time. We started dating, and..."
This is where his expression changed. Into one of...Embarrassment? Guilt? It was hard to tell without seeing his eyebrows.
"I was 16, and she, the same...not the smartest decision I've ever made." He sighed deeply. "I got her pregnant, which caused some trouble between her family and mine. I took responsibility for my mistake - but she did not live to do the same. She died giving birth to Phule. I have taken responsibility for him ever since."
"-At that young?" She spat out. She thought him a smart man - not someone who would've done something like this..! Judging by his wince, she assumed it was a touchy subject and quieted down.
"What happened with Deacon and Rooke was...another mistake of mine. I'd been speaking with a woman while training for my military career - 19 at the time. Nothing serious happened until the war came around. It was mandatory for me to go. When I told her, she, well, gave me a parting gift."
Her chest strangely burned at his words, feeling stupidly jealous at that one sentence.
"I thought I would die in combat and it wouldn't matter. Irresponsible, yes, but...I wasn't the only one doing such things at the time." He went quiet for a second. "-I survived. When I came back, a pair of twins had been delivered in my absence...she gave birth while I was gone. She wanted nothing to do with the children and gave them to me. By the time I returned, she was far past my contact."
She put her mask down. "So you were responsible for three children?"
"I was. I spent the next few years raising them on my own, while pursuing my career and attending my university. At some point, I decided I wanted another son. There was a woman on my campus that had an interest in me - I didn't feel for her, but I wanted another child." He waited a few minutes, letting the story sink in. "I am...not sure what happened to Bishop's mother."
"Did she disappear after she had the baby?"
"...I would say so." He responded. "My children are in their 20's. Phule is the oldest while Bishop, the youngest. And Deacon and Rooke - they are middle children."
She pursed her lips, taking this in as calmly as she could. She appreciated him informing her in such detail. She asked about a wife - but he was too young when he had most of his children. Or he sounded inexperienced. Still. A part of her wondered the what-ifs…
She decided to share her own love life, to even with him. "I haven't been with many men before you. You aren't the only one who made stupid decisions when you were young - I dated men who couldn't even read a book!"
He looked amused at the story and sat back in his seat. It was quite a comparison, knowing she was with one of the smartest men in Valencia now. She continued:
"They didn't care to know me and only had one thing on their mind. There was one who tricked me with his looks and, well..." She couldn't help roll her eyes at her own naivety. "He left me for another woman after that. After him, I swore off men for the rest of my life. Once my military career started, I thought I had no use for them." Her eyes trailed down his uniform. "I am glad that changed."
"I swore off relationships entirely after I had my sons." Kane confessed. "I carried too much to trust with another person. I am glad that changed, as well."
'Queen' hadn't noticed how much closer she'd gotten during their conversation. There was virtually no space between them now. She came forward as her shoulder brushed against his chest. He leaned down to meet his lips with hers. The kiss was enough to clear their minds. It felt nice to share an understanding with him again, she thought.
"We've had a long day. It would be best to retire for the evening." He brushed the dirt off his hat as he stood. He offered his hand to her. "I'll spend the rest of the afternoon showing you around. You can start unpacking your things in the meantime."
She took his awaiting hand and brought herself to her feet. "Will your Elite be here tonight?"
"Only Bishop, perhaps Deacon or Phule...It's a 'whoever-shows-up' sort of thing."
They were walking out of the room now, their fingers remaining intertwined. "Oh? You guys never...sit down, and eat together?"
"We are very busy. It's common for us not to eat dinner together at all."
As the Supreme Commander led her down the hallways of his home, 'Queen' realized many things. One being that she will have to learn more of this unusual family, and she will be spending a lot of time with them from now on.
