Welcome to part 2 of the Head Maid's Maid. A bit of warning with this one as well. The end gets a bit grim and it's there for the progress of the story. I don't want to say much as anything could be considered a spoiler. All I can say is that everything falls in place.
Summary: Daily life with Madam Eagle Union soon finds its own rhythm. Belfast grows to rely on her and the two begin to grow closer. But how close can two get when the past hangs over them, waiting to be remembered?
[The Head Maid's Maid Part 2]
Days went by and while Belfast was alone one early morning, she began to prepare her pen for another journal entry.
Internally, she spoke as she wrote. "It's been weeks since I've been living with Enterprise. The thought alone should excite me, yet I'm left hollow and unsatisfied, knowing that she's not truly all here. Madam Eagle Union has been amazing in my journey to recovery. She cooks, cleans, oversees the maintenance of the flat, sorts my clothes, and even draws my baths dutifully. The qualities I find in her would unquestionably be something I would love to find in my fellow maids. However, it hurts to see her conform to an identity that isn't her. Nothing I have done has made a dent into her bastille-like reclusion and as every day that goes by, my heart continues to hurt. How? How can one accept running away from their guilt, yet be stubborn enough to tackle it head-on in an unorthodox way?"
She sighed heavily and rested the pen on her journal, feeling the weight of loneliness that was bitterly tied to Madam Eagle Union.
A knock was heard and the woman that both plagued and healed her soul stepped in. "Ah, you're up early, mistress." Her warm smile and maid attire filled the injured maid with melancholy feelings.
The light cruiser hid her thoughts with fake cheerfulness. "Yes, good morning, Madam Eagle Union."
The day advanced and the devoted maid stood behind the wheel of a car, provided to her by the queen. She had changed her outfit slightly, now having a wool red coat over her blue dress, and no longer donning the red polka-dotted bandana or red apron. She still wore her glasses and ponytail, though. Most likely, she didn't want to draw attention with her maid attire that would put her mistress on center stage with her.
Her eyes behind her glasses were filled with doubt that motivated her to turn her head to the passenger and try once again to reason with her. "Mistress, are you sure you want to come with me to the store?"
Belfast sat next to her, wearing a white button shirt, and black pants. Her left arm was still protected inside her black sling. "Yes, I want some fresh air and a chance to stretch my legs is something I won't pass up."
"It's Sunday, and it will be quite busy there. I just don't want to entertain the thought of some inconsiderate person bumping into you," truthfully said the maid carrier.
Belfast expressed a cute giggle that made her maid grow weak in the knees; good thing she was sitting down. "We'll cross that bridge if or when we get there. I'm not going to let that restrict my decision. Or do you not want me to go with you?"
"Well, if I'm being honest, no."
"You can be very hurtful sometimes," said the injured maid with a determinedly stern frown that looked cuter and poutier than serious.
The devoted maid smiled softly, finding it endearing rather than feeling anxious to see her mistress disappointed by her. "Please let me finish. You saying those reasons to want to go did make me rethink my stance though. I only thought that way because I didn't want you to get roughed up."
Belfast smiled and held her head high. "I'm a big girl, Madam Eagle Union."
"Fair enough." The ponytailed maid turned on the car and the two were off on their way to the grocery store.
The drive there was quiet. Considering that the grocery store was only a neighborhood between them meant it wouldn't be a long silence. The devoted maid checked her surroundings on the road and noticed shady and unscrupulous-like people between alleyways.
While the neighborhood where their flat resided was a calm and quiet one, this one had seen better days.
"What's with that guarded look?" Asked the royal maid lightly to the tense red-blue maid.
"It's nothing. The vibes here are just hard to shake off." She remained with a focused gaze, her movements, and white knuckles on the wheel saying that she wasn't trying to dilly dally.
"Madam, these citizens are trying to live their lives as best as they can despite the harsh times they are facing. It pains me that the government structure is doing nothing to aid this district, but that's how the proverbial coin drops sometimes." Even though she was an important figure within Her Majesty's circle, she was merely the head maid and had no say in government affairs.
"Do you think the queen is aware of the hard times here?"
Belfast nodded, having faith that Her Majesty was aware of the situation to some extent. "Indeed. I'm sure she's trying to work things out. Just know that you shouldn't judge them by how they might look."
Madam Eagle Union hid her mismatched expression with a fake agreement. While her mistress was right about the regular people that lived in this district, it was impossible to not see the dangerous individuals that hid among the general public. Her eyes crossed paths with a group of men at a stoplight and she could see the jagged criminal glare they made when they caught her looking at them.
The light informed them to go, and the silent staring between her and them only lasted for a few seconds. She glanced at her mistress who had been distractingly fiddling with the car radio, and she hoped to never cross paths with them again for her mistress's sake.
At the store, as soon as they entered through the automatic sliding doors, they were visually assaulted by the masses of people moving about.
"Mistress, stay close to my right so that none may bump into your injured shoulder."
Belfast couldn't help but softly smile at the endearing display of concern and chivalry she saw in her maid. While she ventured out to get away from the flat for a while, she also used this opportunity to learn a bit more about the personality of Madam Eagle Union. Her goal did not go to waste as she quickly found out what types of foods she preferred. The grapefruit from before gave a great hint as the devoted maid searched for healthy rich foods.
Belfast silently held her finger close to her mouth to reflect on the food. They were a stark contrast to Enterprise, who had a habit of eating whatever and was never truly picky about her tastes. In fact, much earlier when they had met for the first time, the Eagle Union carrier would only eat instant meals and military rations that were the lowest food grade.
While these healthy rich foods could only be a magnificent plus for the carrier, she missed seeing the woman eat something in the middle of the food spectrum like a burger or pizza. It brought her to a warm memory of a day when Enterprise had taken her out to show her thanks for being by her side, knowing that she had been difficult to deal with for the maid.
For Belfast, who had already decided on what the carrier meant to her by then, had seen it as their first unofficial date. She blushed, knowing then that she wanted the carrier to notice her as more than a friend.
"Mistress, they have a two for one special on strawberries. Perhaps you would like me to make some strawberry oatmeal bars?"
Belfast came back to reality and turned her head toward Madam Eagle Union. "Oh, only if you allow me to help as I love baking desserts."
The devoted maid accepted her offer and placed the strawberries into their cart. They continued to shop more, buying steel-cut oats, fresh fruits, vegetables, chicken, ground turkey, and even vegetable chips to name a few things on the extensive list of Madam Eagle Union.
With a cart full of various foods and ingredients for the week ahead of them, Belfast eyed a coffee shop built inside the store. A glint of an idea formed, and she held the hand of the devoted maid.
The carrier tensed and quizzically looked at the light cruiser. "Mistress, are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm alright. I figured a drink was in order before we depart."
The red-blue maid relaxed and shined a warm smile at her mistress. "I wouldn't mind a cup of tea," she said blissfully.
Belfast narrowed her eyes and quietly sighed to herself. She never thought she would ever sigh at someone asking for tea as that was also her go-to drink, but it didn't fit the identity of the woman in front of her. "They also sell coffee. Why don't we get a cup since it's still early?"
"Coffee...? I suppose," she said unenthusiastically.
They waited in line and were soon sitting at a table that extended to an area within the overall store, meaning their grocery cart was beside them.
Madam Eagle Union held the cup close to her lips and her eyes behind her glasses widened. "Hmmm... what an amazing taste." Her sips grew more fervent as she continued to down the drink, exploring a renaissance of taste buds that had long been dormant.
Joy was too small to describe what the injured maid felt, and hope sounded closer to what she truly felt. "You like it?"
The white-haired carrier rested her cup on the table and sighed refreshingly. "I'm surprised at myself. The taste is unlike tea or the one that I had before—no offense, mistress."
"None taken?" Belfast shouldn't have sounded offended, yet her maid pride forced her to wonder if the coffee she made back then for her had been subpar.
Sensing the doubt, the ponytailed maid gave her a weak smile. "It's just that the one you made was milky and somewhat weak. The color and flavor felt something akin to tea and I wasn't against it. This one tastes stronger, bitter, and with a nice roast that's smokey."
"You seem to know your coffee," calmly smiled the injured light cruiser.
The red-blue maid lowered her gaze and stared at her coffee like a foreign object from space, logically knowing nothing about it, yet she did. "I guess I do. Strange."
Belfast returned home that day with a rekindled hope that the woman that meant so much to her wasn't all the way gone.
More days flew by, like pages on a book. While Madam Eagle Union was away on a few errands, Belfast had become restless.
The progress on her shoulder was slow. It had been over a month now since she was discharged after her nearly two-week stay at sickbay, and her wound hadn't reached prime recovery. Even though she had regular check-ups, they could not estimate for her how much more time she would have with her sling. At the very least, she had hopefully expected to already be out of her sling and allowed to moderately work out her shoulder.
There were signs that it was getting better, as discharge from the wound was less than before, and her pain hadn't reached a level that she felt when released. Only mild discomfort accompanied her unless she bumped the epicenter of the wound against anything around her.
So it was still assistance with baths, one-handed eating, and when Madam Eagle Union wasn't looking… one-handed cleaning.
She stood in the living room and slid a finger across the wooden base of a window. Spotless. No dust or dirt, making her sigh in contempt. "She is rather thorough. Edinburgh and Sheffield had their moments of laziness and would never get the hard-to-reach spots free of dust." Her mind floated to the pantry room behind the kitchen where they stored their dry goods, and her finger went to her lips in an enlightened smile. "I wonder."
Grabbing a chair, she dragged it one-handedly across the floor until she reached the pantry room, containing a tall wall of multiple shelves with all sorts of dry goods. Jumping on the chair, she inspected the higher shelves full of dust. "Bingo, as she used to say."
She first removed the cans and other dry goods before arming her one functioning hand with a duster. The process dragged as one would imagine for someone with one arm to use. As soon as the duster made contact with the dust, she revealed a smile close to childlike. "Oh, how I missed the act of cleaning. To vanquish all disorder and filth with my power alone—such a rush!"
She was a maid through and through. It wasn't in her nature to allow another to clean for her. An apex of tranquil and clear mind brought her to a place of peace that elevated all the stress and woes of suppressing what she felt about Madam Eagle Union.
A second went by after she thought she had all the shelves dusted. That was until she turned her head up and locked eyes with the top shelf that had originally been vacant with goods, knowing that one would be the dustiest out of all of them.
All logic and reason left her, and only the allure of vanquishing all dust filled her mind. She was like a born hunter being away from nature for a year and finally getting the chance to hunt some game.
Launching from the top part of the chair, she placed a light foot on one of the shelves after finding it to be sturdy.
She then hoisted herself higher and managed to get a solid footing on the next shelf. Her eyesight was finally on a level with the highest part of the pantry shelf, and she began dusting wildly. Since she only had one arm to work with, she dug her elbow firmly against the shelf and dusted rigidly to maintain her grip. While others would have seen this as a reason to raise the white flag of surrender, Belfast was very capable and hardly saw this handicap as something to cry about.
No sooner had she finished, than the haunting sound of wood succumbing to pressure alerted her ears. Her blood ran cold just at the same time the shelves that her feet were on gave away.
"Ahh!" Thinking quickly, she used her arm to hang onto the top shelf as she dangled dangerously in the air. With fear in her eyes, she looked down to see that the chair was in the way and sticking a landing would be difficult. She could aim for the top of the chair, but her weight might shift the chair from underneath her. If she aimed for the cushion itself, she might hit the armrests and bump her recovering arm.
The sound of the living room door opening filled her ears, followed by the wonderous voice she was thankful to hear. "Mistress, I'm back from my errands. I know I'm quite late, but I made the harrowing decision of getting us take-out food."
"Enterprise! Help me!" She didn't have any more time to think as her grip betrayed her and she began to fall.
From the first sound of distress from her mistress, the carrier simultaneously dropped her bags, and the rapid footing of fueled legs grew closer. "Mistress...!"
It was a split second, a photo finish, but the carrier moved like a blur, kicking the chair away, and replacing it with herself.
Belfast felt the inviting arms of her caretaker and maid hold her as if she was the most precious thing in the world.
The momentum and weight of Belfast caused Madam Eagle Union to buckle her knees and sink lower. The momentum also caused the carrier to uncontrollably fall backward, her head and back hitting the hard floor.
Still reeling from her disoriented and panicked mindset, the injured maid looked around, finally registering what had happened. "Madam Eagle Union! Please forgive me. Are you injured anywhere?!"
The red-blue maid looked half-dazed and in clear pain. "Are you hurt, mistress?" She said, pain laced in her words.
Belfast recoiled, touched that she would ask her that while having every right to berate her. "N-No..."
"Then you are forgiven," she said with a kind smile, and she silently felt happy that all her morning jogs had paid off when she caught her at the last second.
The royal light cruiser while enraptured, shifted her body while still on top of her maid so that she was gazing into her eyes properly.
The intimate motion from her mistress sent tingles throughout her body and her face grew ever so red.
Her mistress gazed at her with foggy eyes that revealed she was somewhere deep inside herself.
The eagle maid couldn't help it, but she shifted her gaze to her mistress's lips, wondering how soft and warm they might be.
Reason and her mission as a maid brought her back to her senses, allowing her to dispel the feelings that messed with her heart. She needed to be professional. "Mistress, we should get up soon. I didn't have a chance this morning to clean the storage pantry. Now it looks like I'll need to replace one or two of the shelves."
Belfast's eyes betrayed a stinging hurt in her eyes. To further muddle her mind, the carrier placed a hand on her hip, helping her get up so that she might also too. That touch of intimacy hotly bothered the injured maid and she kept herself quiet that night, even when they ate the food the devoted maid bought.
Days soon started to melt into each other as another month came and went. The light cruiser had been resting on a chair and sipping tea while listening to the radio on the balcony as the first drops of snow weightlessly floated downward. "Huh? Snow this early?" She said quietly to herself while marveling at the wondrous sight before her.
The beginning of the end of the year had commenced and it brought a somber feel to the injured maid. A time that was supposed to be joyous and magical was meaningless without the one she wanted by her side. From behind her, a warm blanket covered her back, and she turned her head to see her devoted maid.
"Mistress, make sure you huddle up tonight," said the maid with a kind and friendly smile. When she snuck up on her mistress, she noticed a longing and sad look on her beautiful face that had weakened her smile slightly and briefly.
"I will, you too," her mistress cheerily forced back.
The devoted maid turned to leave and finish the dishes, giving her a lot to ponder as she cleaned.
The next day was when things grew interesting. While a gradual amount of snow fell and the sky became dull and gray, that didn't deter the head maid and her devoted maid from taking a trip to the downtown district where they spotted a skating rink outside.
It had grown dark much earlier these days, and the lovely sight of snow, dazzling night lights, and the entertaining skating rink itself made Belfast want to partake in a bit of the said pastime.
The ponytailed maid looked hesitant like all things that involved a high degree of falling yet once she stared into the eyes of her mistress, she folded like paper. Those eyes hadn't been that radiant in a while, and the events from last night were merely one of many instances where she grew to see past the forced smiles from her mistress. Knowing what she knew, she wasn't going to be the one to snuff out this radiance like a flame.
Geared up in winter clothing, they both put on their skates with Madam Eagle Union helping her mistress with hers, and they were off into the icy floor with everyone else.
The carrier had mistaken the situation when she thought her mistress would be in distress. It was herself that was in distress as her balance betrayed her and she stumbled repeatedly across the ice. It was embarrassing, to say the least, and she could see passers holding back a snicker. They were all seeing her as a kid with training wheels which threw her into a spiral of shyness.
Then, her mistress glided effortlessly toward her with a concerned look. "Madam, it looks like you might be the one to need assistance." The royal's hand extended out to help the carrier up.
For the carrier, her mistress looked amazing wearing a gray beanie, black pants, and a blue puffy jacket that had the left arm sleeve dangling in the wind because her sling was nestled cozily within. Everything about her truly did make her look breathtaking in her eyes.
The carrier maid herself had been wearing a white beanie, blue jeans, and a red coat that perfectly matched her shy and red face. "Thank you. It's embarrassing to say that I lack a graceful balance on the ice."
Belfast smirked softly. "All you need is a little practice. Here, lean on me." She grabbed the carrier's hand and placed it on her hip, causing the carrier to tense.
Belfast continued, her smile warm and capable of melting ice.
The carrier maid released moans of fright when her mistress was taking the lead. Their bodies glided together across the ice, and one could think they were slow dancing.
Out of fear that she might fall or worse, take her mistress down with her, she continued to look down at her feet. Her focus was laser intense, and the injured royal could do nothing but smile at how adorable she looked.
Their eyes met again, and there it was, the gaze they exchanged when the light cruiser had fallen on top of the carrier. The look that now registered with her that she missed with all her being, a look full of love and devotion. It was the type that one would see in the person that was most precious to them.
It was so clear, and she grew afraid to respond to her mistress's unwavering eyes.
"Looks like you got the hang of it," she said with a giggle, referring that it was the carrier that was pushing them along now.
"What can I say? You're a wonderful teacher." Her unease face made Belfast tilt her head and her words were merely to make light of the situation as also to mask the storm of feelings in her heart.
"Madam, why are you sweating?"
"The excitement of trying something new, mistress." A lie, but one she hoped her mistress would believe.
"Oh, I see. Then please don't restrain yourself and smile as joyously as you can." Belfast beamed at her radiantly and her cheerfulness truly did help relax the maid carrier.
"Your smile… is infectious, my mistress. It's been a while since I have seen you like this," she said honestly and without filter to what resided in her heart. Her bittersweet words caused a frown in the light cruiser as she recollected how quiet and low energy she had been since the incident in the storage pantry.
Not getting a response and feeling her mistress's fingers guiltily flex around her shoulder that she was using for support, she bit the proverbial bullet and asked what had been on her mind. "Mistress, you remind me that I can be a bit tactless at times and I admit that it's a habit of mine, but I have to ask bluntly… did I do something to cause you grief?"
"Huh?!" Belfast faltered and her foot slipped on the ice briefly but with quick reflexes, Madam Eagle Union held her sturdy. The head maid gasped and silently gazed at the determined purple eyes behind those red glasses that didn't waver—even when she lost her balance.
There was a part of her that explosively wanted to say yes and cry her heart out while she shook the woman with all her might. Yet, her grief related to Madam Eagle Union was a double-edged sword that gave her strength and wounded her in equal amounts. "Madam… without you by my side, my grief would be unbearable. I won't hide that I have grief built up, but it's not directed at you."
Even though her heart hurt and yearned for Enterprise and seeing Madam Eagle Union was a constant cut from a sword that never ceased, she could not fathom enduring this arduous ordeal that was her wound by herself. And the thought of constantly wondering what Enterprise was doing back on base would be her new worry. For example, she would worry about whether she was allowing herself to sleep properly, eat right, and not overdo it when sent out on missions. At least in this form, they were somberly together where they could look after each other.
"Then… are you depressed by your injury?" Hesitation and worry poured out instead of sounding more inquiring than the glasses-wearing maid originally planned.
Belfast begrudgingly smiled and nodded, needing her maid to feel the ease she wanted to bring to her. It was just too hard to explain the truth that just by her being with her, she received both grief and happiness. In the grand scale of things, nothing short of Enterprise fully coming back would resolve this odd situation in her heart, and there was no point in presenting an unpassable roadblock that the devoted maid couldn't pass on her own. "Forgive me. I've been a downer that I didn't realize I might be making you feel as if you were the issue."
"What?! Don't apologize… it's natural that depression would set in from your injury. You're the head maid of the Royal Navy and under normal circumstances, you shouldn't need a maid tending to you. Thinking back on that close encounter in the pantry, I can see now that depending on another for house upkeep and maidly duties would make you feel a bit blue…" She immediately stopped when she felt a hand rest on her cheek. Her immediate response was to grip the head maid tightly from her waist since she no longer had a firm hold and could easily fall now.
Belfast softly let out a sound of jovial content when she felt the impulsive need to keep her safe as her first thought. "Never think that I'm the type of person that needs to do everything, madam. Even a stellar maid in charge of a massive mansion could never do it alone, and those that I'm in charge of are vital companions. You… have become my precious companion in this difficult part of my life. Please never forget that. Of course, I'm happy to hear that you came to realize that you shouldn't treat me like a caged bird when it relates to keeping our home clean. Cleaning makes me happy, and I would like to help you in making breakfast, cleaning, and other tasks."
The devoted maid stood staring at her mistress with a slightly open mouth as she was in awe. "Our home… yes, I would like that, too." She was on the verge of joyfully crying from hearing how warmly she had been accepted by her mistress.
Something wonderful came of that day. A shift in perspective that both scared and uplifted the devoted maid.
The days rolled along, and the weather grew colder and harsher, yet within the walls of the flat, a warmth of love and happiness that the maid carrier had never felt was all that she focused on.
In the days that followed the skating rink, they grew into a rhythm that was built on the time they had been together. Chores around the flat changed to accommodate her mistress's desires.
Some of the accommodations were washing dishes with her mistress by her side, and as the devoted maid would finish a plate, she would hold it out for her mistress to dry it.
Vacuuming had become the head maid's job, and Madam Eagle Union would always smile at her as she did other tasks in the background.
Laundry became the ideal time where they would chat about current events and odd stories that Madam Eagle Union had come across while doing her errands. Just like how Belfast was in charge of drying plates, they folded the clothes, towels, and bedsheets together in a seeming twin-like manner.
There seemed to be one set of tasks that Madam Eagle Union tried to keep her mistress away from, but her mistress was like a rushing wave that relentlessly tried to drown a sandcastle, and in the end, she found herself cleaning the bathroom with her. It was worth noting that this was Madam Eagle Union's bathroom that resided in her room.
"Mistress… are you sure you don't want to change roles?" She timidly stated while pausing her task of mopping the marble flooring.
A happy giggle with grunts of determination resonated from the light cruiser. Her arm was mercilessly scrubbing the inner toilet with no fear and calculated stern eyes. "Madam, you ended up losing the coin toss. Oh, and you missed a spot," she said while pausing to point at the floor beside Madam Eagle Union.
The carrier maid grew shameful of herself and hurriedly mopped the spot that had been pointed out.
Belfast drank in the moment as she pulled a piece of worn hair behind her ear from all the strenuous work they had both been doing. Her smile conveyed her peaceful mind that saw this as nothing but a wonderful dream that she was able to clean like this with Enterprise. Truly, that day had been one of her most cherished ones.
It was now the last week of the year and Madam Eagle Union had no words to describe the joy she would feel to be starting the new year with her mistress by her side.
The wound of her mistress was nearly healed, and she was allowed to remove her sling for a few hours and work her arm out. They unavoidably grew closer because of that with the carrier assisting her in at-home arm workouts for her physical therapy. Another thing they did was apply a muscle relaxant cream on her shoulder to further help the parts of her shoulder that would feel tingling sensations.
All their bonding and emotional tension finally reached a terminus that concluded on the present faithful night. Everything was perfect and that night, a party had concluded in their small flat. Eugen and Wales had already left, and poor Edinburgh had fallen asleep from the overload of eggnog she consumed, not knowing that Eugen was the one that made it with a bit more kick than needed.
The maid carrier placed a warm blanket on her mistress's sister and moved her to her guest bedroom, ignoring the mumbling rants about her not getting recognition as a maid, and why Sheffield always got all the praise.
"… you know what!? At least I still have my gold bars and a very capable little sister!" She ranted in her delirious and drunken sleepy state.
The devoted maid dropped her on the bed and turned around, but not before a final random drunken sentence spewed out of the older sister. "Belfast, be a darling and tell Hood to stay away from my gold bullion in the bullion aisle." To add to those words, the older sister gripped a pillow and hugged it tightly while her snores grew.
The carrier chuckled, now curious to know more about that dream she was having, and how much gold she proclaimed to be sitting on.
She returned to the living room where she was greeted by a wonderful smile from the light cruiser. "Madam, it would've been fine if you let her sleep on the couch."
The carrier politely held a hand up to express her disagreement with a head shake. "Nonsense. The poor girl drank a lot and she's going to have a head-splitting awakening. At least grant her a much comfy place to wake up to."
"Where will you sleep?"
"Well... I'm not that tired, Mistress." She spoke in a kittenish manner. Without saying anything more, she went to the radio and changed songs until she settled with a slow and contemporary beat. It was perfect to convey what she had in her heart. Her eyes were filled with focus and warmth as she stepped toward her mistress.
Belfast paused and gazed at the other woman in a trance while she saw the carrier's hand stretch out.
The maid carrier seemed to hesitate as if doubting herself until her eyes landed back on the light cruiser. "May I have this dance?" Her words were her definitive anchor, and she exuded a melding of confidence and anticipation.
Belfast knew what this was, and everything inside her told her to not entertain this idea. However, the night had been lively and magical, and her feelings for the carrier were at an all-time high. Maybe, just maybe, this was her chance to make her remember. Steadying her heart and calming her nerves, she smiled with butterflies in her stomach. "You may..."
She was being pulled toward the other woman by an unseen force or maybe it was what her heart always wanted from all her efforts.
The devoted maid connected her fingers with the fingers of her mistress, and she placed her hand firmly on her waist. The surge of electricity that flowed through their connected touch could be felt by both, and each smiled nervously.
They danced slowly and intimately, the music swirling around them, making them feel like the only ones in each other's world.
Madam Eagle Union gazed at her as if she was the most precious thing in the whole world.
During this whole process, the injured royal struggled with her deep breaths that had her head spinning. To dance with Enterprise, was also another one of her fantasies, and to let it play out in real life was a lot more to take in than she thought.
The carrier maid said nothing and allowed the intimate silence to continue. They needed no words for what they felt. Their chemistry and body heat said all that needed to be said.
Hypnotized by the moment, by the love in the air, and by the hope that the light cruiser held in her heart, she leaned in and kissed the devoted maid on the lips. The royal ship's heart tightened, and she gave in to the ache in her heart.
Their kiss was passionate and aggressive as the injured maid let go of their finger lock and gripped the left shoulder of the woman for added support.
Madam Eagle Union held her by her shoulder, making sure to not hurt her. Once it was over and the two were left in a whirlwind of magical passion, the purple-eyed maid gazed at where her fingers had landed, slightly above the wound of her mistress. Uncertainty and discomfort bled through her gaze, and a foreign itch at the back of her head started to bother her.
Belfast paused when she gazed at the other woman's hand on her shoulder. A smile grew as she witnessed the fight brewing within the carrier. Was she trying to remember or forget? With hope in her heart, Belfast let loose a tear from her eyes. "It wasn't your fault, I forgive you." She reached over to the hand on her shoulder and covered the woman's hand with hers.
The discomfort held in the carrier's eyes diminished and she moved her eyes toward the royal. "Mistress, thank you." In a painfully unsung manner, she hadn't paid attention to what she said and automatically accepted the woman's kind words that felt random.
A pain like a sharp dagger going through her heart soon became unbearable. Belfast grew rigid and her breath held when she heard the way she addressed her. Regrettably, she forced herself back and turned away from the maid carrier.
Madam Eagle Union looked hurt, yet she knew something like this would happen. It was time to lay the cards out not just for the woman in front of her but for herself. "Mistress, forgive me. The thing is... I've developed feelings for you! I don't know when it happened, but I know that love burns inside me. I have failed you as a maid, and my heart does not shatter because of that. I can tell something burns between us and your kiss said it all. Please, let me love you... not as a maid, but as a woman and a lover. There is no one I want to explore these feelings with than you."
How can something sound absolutely sweet, yet painfully bitter? That's what Belfast told herself and her lip quivered, resonating anger for this tainted another of her fantasies. "Say my name..." Her tone was grim and serious with her eyes reflecting hurt and dejection.
"Excuse me?" Said the devoted maid uneasily.
Belfast stepped forward, the frown on her face causing the carrier to take a step back. "My name. Say it, Madam Eagle Union."
The devoted maid swallowed dryly and held her ground. "Very well... mm...!?" She opened her mouth and to her horror, she was unable to utter her mistress's name.
The light cruiser grimace and looked away, causing anguish in the heart of the devoted maid. "It was a hunch accumulated over the months we've been together and one that I wished hadn't been true. You are incapable of saying my name—you just won't allow yourself."
"M-Mistress..." Why couldn't she? A revealing truth that was so intrinsically buried deep within suddenly surfaced like magma. In all these months that they had grown closer, she never asked herself why she continued to address her in that manner. If it was out of professionalism or respect, then it still didn't make sense. There was a multitude of ways she could address her. Miss Belfast, Lady Belfast, Madam Belfast, or even Mistress Belfast—it was all head-splittingly painful to try and make sense of her reasons for upholding such an odd barrier between the woman she grew to love.
Tears were now falling down the light cruiser's face and her eyes were nothing less than a storm of despair and acceptance. "You are right. There has always been something between you and me. I hoped that one day we could push ourselves closer to those feelings and I was patient in waiting for that day. Then the accident happened."
The maid carrier's eyes wavered, and she gripped her chest, feeling a sting from a ghostly illogical pain. "Accident? Your shoulder...!" She stated with one eye closed and anguish on her face. Something was trying to jog her memory, yet something else was holding it back.
Belfast wished someone else was here to hold her from the mistake she was about to make. "Yes. I know I shouldn't, but I can't live like this anymore. I need you, Enterprise. I have never been selfish but my time with you has changed that. The thing is... you are Enterprise, the woman who I love with all my heart, and the woman that wounded me."
"Enterprise… " She staggered hard, her head throbbing. A rush of memories from her time when she arrived here in this flat assaulted her like hail. She recollected the times her mistress had said that name, like when she tried to defend her from the Iron Blood woman, and when she cried out that name when she fell from the pantry shelf. She even began to remember the limited times Queen Elizabeth had spouted that random name to her.
"I had told you in the beginning who you were, but you wouldn't listen or maybe, your stubbornness and maid persona systematically blocked it out. Like someone selectively wanting to ignore certain words and going about their day unchanged in the fact that they heard those words. I hoped you would remember why I'm forgiving you, but it seems your mind still floats in an endless fog. The wound that you gave me, it's something you must accept and remember for yourself."
"Mistress, I still don't understand. I have no memory... of wounding you…" Her words were useless just like her memory. She grew to realize she had no ground to defend herself if all that her mistress said was true. She knew it to be true as the light cruiser had no reason to lie. She was left hollow and speechless with an agape mouth of pure stunned horror.
Belfast's anguished emotions tumbled like a snowball growing the longer it rolled. She couldn't stop… she wouldn't stop. "I can't love you. Not in this state that you are in. The one that I love the most is the whole that makes you... you. Not this fraction that you sliced off to avoid the guilt. I tried to make you see—to make you remember, yet I was the one that has failed you! So, I ask you now! Do not forget your name—your true name. To repress it again like the other times will only prove how much you value your guilt over the love we both share!"
"Aaargh...!" The carrier placed a tensed hand over her face, only letting one eye reveal the storm of internal pain brought upon her by the light cruiser.
Belfast weakened and concernedly moved toward the carrier. Fear now ruled over her on whether she had gone too far in forcing the woman to confront her past. "Enterprise...!"
Hearing that name again forced her to reflexively push past the injured maid and run out the door without saying another word.
"No…" Belfast softly cried. The look of betrayal and hurt was white-hot for the injured maid, seeing the woman she loved reject all that they had.
More snow fell that night, but the runaway maid didn't care. For that night, the cold of the world was more of a comfort than the coldness in her heart.
When morning arrived, the world continued to tread along without pause. The ponytailed maid that once had a schedule that she followed dutifully now found herself without no aim toward a goal. All that she had on her mind, was burying the pain, the rejection, and the sadness.
Wanting to vanquish those demons, she sought refuge from the cold and loneliness that brought her to one of the local pubs in the city.
She now found herself resting on a bar stool while drowning herself in alcohol this early in the morning. "Bartender… another run, sir." She held her empty glass while appearing to look sluggish.
A middle-aged man wearing a white dress shirt, black vest, who had red hair, and a red handlebar mustache approached her. "Hmm, miss, that was your fourth one. Policy states that you need to pay off the tab after the third one before continuing. So, what's it going to be?"
She half drunkenly raised an eyebrow. "Third one? You don't trust your clientele?"
"Pub's rules, madam." Even though those rules were true, his intuition just from seeing this odd woman dressed in a weather-worn blue maid dress didn't help her case, and the thought that maybe she got fired and was here drinking without pay was a highly possible reality.
She gave him a stink eye and wished to pull at his red handlebar mustache out of sheer anger. She rummaged through her blue dress and pulled out a few items from one of the pockets. "Here, I'm sure this plastic will suffice." From the various things, she threw a credit card on the bar counter.
The bartender gasped, seeing the unique card, slick and all black, with the Royal Navy insignia on it. "Madam, I apologize profusely if I insulted you in any way."
"Enough. It's nothing but the queen's spending money, now get me that drink," she ordered.
The drink was placed next to her, and she did not hesitate to tackle it viciously, making the bartender nod silently in respect.
The jingle of the door sounded, and footsteps grew closer until they stopped beside her. "Ah, my luck finally paid off. I knew you would be in one of these. That's so like the Eagle Union, but I guess I would do the same if I suddenly had a heartbreak."
The depressed maid tensed and glanced to her side to see the Iron Blood heavy cruiser standing before her. She had on winter clothing consisting of a green jacket, and black pants. There was also a brown coat that she had in her hands just hidden away from the carrier's sight. "It's you. What do you want?" She relaxed and gave her the cold shoulder.
"Wow, don't look at me like a stranger now." She said sarcastically as she threw a comfy brown coat toward the half-drunk woman.
The white-haired maid recoiled from the clothing thrown her way and gritted her teeth while giving Eugen a sharp glare. "I tolerated you all these months because you were my mistress's friend's... friend. I still don't forgive you as you never apologized for brutally choking me like some barbarian." She bitterly tossed the charity that was the coat back to the silver-haired woman.
"Oh for... look! I thought you were some shipgirl stalker that caught wind that she was staying in that flat. That's what Wales's frantic words conveyed to me. Sorry, if I was rough on the poor big Eagle Union."
"I didn't come here to get insulted," angrily said the runaway maid.
Eugen grinned and crossed her arms. "Oh, where do you normally go?"
"Leave me alone." She barked under her breath.
"Not happening. I've been spending my morning going through all the pubs in this place until I finally found you."
"You did? How did you even know the places to look? You don't even know me." Her purple eyes ignored her as she ultimately signaled for another round.
The Iron Blood smirked lightly and planted her bottom eagerly next to the maid. "Bartender, I'll have what she's having." She smugly smiled in her own friendly way. "Firstly, that little light cruiser is worried sick about you. She called us up first thing in the morning and told us what happened. Wales and she have been running wild trying to find the elusive Madam Eagle Union. I followed their example and decided to start with the pubs first. If I had my heart stomped on and told earth-shattering information, then I would be like you, trying to find sense and comfort at the bottom of a mug."
The ponytailed woman showed a vulnerable face. "Do you ever find it?" She waited anticipatedly for the woman's answer with sorrow in her eyes and an uneasy sickness in the pit of her stomach.
"Yes, but that comfort is only temporary and fleeting. So, she finally told you about her accident with her shoulder..."
Their drinks were placed next to them. Eugen held her drink and played with it by swirling the liquid in the glass a few times.
"I... I don't want to talk about it. I have no memory of it, and it hurts that I forced myself to forget."
Eugen turned her fiery eyes toward the maid. "Listen. You're right about me not knowing you. I only knew public information about you when you weren't Miss Maid and I know even little of you now as this staple copy of a royal maid. But I do know something that we both can relate to."
The maid scoffed and held her drink close to her lips, but not drinking it yet. "Yeah, what's that?"
"The pain of hurting the one you love." The guilt laced in her words was heavy, causing Madam Eagle Union to stop what she was doing.
"Huh?"
Eugen smiled an empty smile. "I guess it isn't a big secret, especially in the months' Wales and I have been visiting you both and hanging around. She and I are a thing."
"A thing?" Stated the carrier with a raised eyebrow at how simplistic and lacking she conveyed it.
Eugen proudly looked at the other woman. "Going steady is the right choice to say, and she means a lot to me. That's why I was ready to mince you into powder if asked."
"How lovely," said the maid dryly.
"Mmm... I like that uncaring dry humor of yours. Before she and I grew closer, we were enemies and under orders, I wounded her along with her allies."
"You both were enemies...?"
"Yes. Just goes to show how love can bloom in the last place you would expect. We were enemies, and as we continued to clash repeatedly, we became lovers in the end. She began to enrapture me when she came back from an injury, I thought no one would pull out from, and her beauty and grace on the battlefield urged me to understand her. She might have forgiven me for wounding her severely, but I never forgave myself. But you know what? I didn't go and hide within the darkest corners of my mind. No, I wanted to be with her then and I wanted to be with her now. I stomached my guilt because of my love for her, and I made a promise to myself that no one would ever hurt her the way I did."
"Eugen..." Her purple eyes wavered and the hand that held her glass trembled.
"Enterprise... or Madam Eagle Union. It doesn't matter, does it? You are the same. You need to accept yourself before moving on."
"How do I do that? I rejected her love by pushing her away because the pain of remembering was becoming excruciating."
Eugen made a throaty laugh as she downed her drink and slammed it downward. "Yeah, that's definitely going to earn you a night on the couch for sure. It's not too late to correct your mistake, and to answer your question… take a walk."
"A… walk?"
"Yeah, think deeply in your walk and tell yourself that you want to remember. That is what you want, right?"
Madam Eagle Union remained elusive and refused to answer, perhaps she not even knowing that answer at all. "I don't think it works like that… taking a walk," somberly replied the maid with an added disbelief mock.
The Iron Blood looked forward and paused, before making a sound of contentment and pulling out payment for her drink that she placed under the empty glass. "Fine. Oh, and by the way, Miss Belfast will be attending an art museum by her queen's orders tonight. If you do decide to face yourself, then she will be at that event." She took out a piece of paper from one of her jacket pockets and slid it across the table to the other woman. Then when the depressed maid was distracted, she tossed her the brown coat again from before.
Madam Eagle Union could not counter the action as the silver-haired woman was already halfway toward the door and more people clustered, blocking her attempt to catch her if she did desire.
After the conversation with the silver-haired woman, she took her advice and went for a walk considering she had nothing else to do. Her path led her to the deep parts of the local park, and something felt familiar about the location. It reminded her of a foggy feeling of déjà vu, and this place reminded her of a harrowing memory that wished to stay buried.
She stood in a grassy field with partial snow all around her. The brown coat from the woman started to shine through as she would be battling the weather with chattered teeth. Gone was the numb bravado she exuded last night when her depression and torment had kept her indifferent to the cold.
Looking around, the cold, silent, and distant lake of the park to her left was the only noteworthy thing compared to the tall trees around her. It was quiet and lonely here but that served to help her get in tune with herself.
"Remember... remember... I want to remember. Mistress… I haven't forgotten what you said to me. I need to remember. I refuse to value this guilt over the love we share." She forced herself to mentally recall her memories until she felt the world around her shift and the hard ground was suddenly replaced with water.
She was in an empty ocean with a blue sky that contained neither clouds nor sun. It was in all-purpose of the word, a static blue that bordered on eerily haunting. The waves were non-existent as the energy of the whole ocean felt like a large lake.
In front of her, floating on the water like a piece of wood, lay a woman that looked like her. The difference was that she wore no glasses and had her hair freely down. Her outfit resembled that of a naval captain rather than a maid.
With anxious breaths and determined eyes, she glided across the water until she loomed over the odd woman floating in a vast empty sea. "What are you doing?" She asked as if it was the most casual thing to say. It was odd, she knew this woman, yet she had never seen her or so she told herself.
This woman was her and she was there every time she inspected herself in the mirror. Her mind merely altered her recollection of those events and wrote them off as nothing of value to remember. Truly ironic for someone that paraded themselves as having a stellar photo memory.
Her anxiety climbed from seeing this woman, but she needed to do this. She was here to remember and honor the words of the one she loved. Luckily for her, there was no threat or danger to be found and she felt herself relax from that realization. She was then brought back by the floating woman's voice.
"I don't know... hey, who am I?" The floating woman responded and questioned with a monotone voice. Her purple vacant eyes had not moved away from the void-like sky above them this whole time.
"I don't know," said the carrier maid with a sigh.
"Who are you?" Asked the woman floating aimlessly.
The devoted maid grunted bitterly from that question. "I thought I knew who I was but now... I think I don't know..." She paused, feeling unsatisfied with her response. With a renewed fire in her eyes, Madam Eagle Union responded. "I am you and you are me."
"I don't understand," said the aimless shipgirl with no emotion in her voice.
"It's because you're incomplete that you can't understand. I am unable to understand as well as I am also incomplete."
A soft moan of shock resounded from the floating shipgirl. "Why are we incomplete?"
The maid solemnly lowered her head. "Because we did something... something to the one that we love."
"Belfast..." Like a punch to the gut, the floating woman painfully drew that name out. She then began to squirm above the water, finally being aware of her lack of firm ground.
Madam Eagle Union held onto her and brought her close to her. "It's okay, I got you."
Tears were streaming down the shipgirl's face, and she succumbed to an episode of pure despair. "Belfast! I hurt her—I hurt her—I hurt her!"
"We hurt her, Enterprise..." Her declaration matched the grim energy of her other self.
The tears from the crying woman didn't stop and she continued to clutch onto the clothing of the maid. "I can't... how can I face her?"
Resentment and anger filled Madam Eagle Union, knowing the answer to that. "You ran away from your moral duty and your responsibility. You pawned the weight onto me. But you know what? That doesn't matter. We are the same, and we learned to understand what she means to us." It was the maid now who was crying. She had no basis to say that the love for her mistress wouldn't have been able to grow in any other situation, but she didn't care. This was the path she set for herself, and it led her to forge a deeper affection for the woman that meant everything to her.
"Huh?" Her other self gave her a puzzled look.
"As I said, we are incomplete. We can't understand each other. You can't understand the realization of my love and I can't understand the realization of your pain. So, let's learn together what we both can't understand. Make me understand."
"You don't want these memories. They need to be burned and forgotten!" Shouted Enterprise.
With a calm and warm voice, Madam Eagle Union spoke. "We owe it to her to remember. If we don't, then we ignore her pain and her love."
"Belfast..." Enterprise defeatedly lowered her head, her stream of tears remaining unchanged.
"Come, let us stand together," said the maid as she compassionately helped her other self up.
Madam Eagle Union placed a hand on her own heart and smiled sadly, knowing that this was her end and her restart. "This form of ours... If it's not meant to be then it's fine. It was nothing but a stepping stone to gain what matters. Let's carry that love over..." She held her hand to the heart of her other self and the world around them grew bright.
Her memories rushed back to her. All the events played in reverse from her kneeling on the snowy park dirt, to the happy moments with the head maid, to the first meeting with her, and to that harrowing day when her arrow hurt the one she loved. Her eyes were open, and her tears did not stop.
This had been a long time coming and she finally allowed herself to process the emotions that she refused with all her might. She stayed in that park for hours until she fainted from fatigue from all her wailing that cleaned her mind and soul. She was surprised that no one had heard her and called the authorities that a mad wailing woman was disturbing the peace.
When she awoke hours later with the sky dark, she was all cried out, and had one thing on her mind; the art museum that Eugen had mentioned.
She ran as fast as she could, her mind fully complete and fully steadfast.
(Sometime later)
At the art museum, a hive of activity was buzzing and important people throughout the Royal Capital were there, all mostly to see the grace of Her Majesty.
"Ah, what a wonderful turnout." Queen Elizabeth stood in a private section of the museum. After being bombarded with the over-doing-it fancy types, she quickly made her escape to the second floor to get herself a breather and watch the common folk enjoy the art that she too loved.
Illustrious and Warspite joined her as they looked over the activity of people from below.
"Yes, it was a fantastic idea to promote yourself to help raise funds for the art museum," said Illustrious.
"What can I say? The people adore me, and I do what the people desire so much. But tonight is not about me, it's about the museum itself. I hope that the people that paid to see me will find a type of renaissance from the art I love and come again more often."
It was then that a woman that worked at the museum frantically waltzed through the door. "Your Majesty, an unhinged woman is asking for you at the entrance."
All three looked caught off guard with intrigue on the small blonde's face. "Oh..."
"Unhinged? Let me take care of her, my queen," declared Warspite with absolute authority.
"Settle down, Warspite. Hmm, could that be who I think it could be?" She hopefully expressed a small smile and followed the museum worker to this 'Unhinged' woman.
After going down the steps, it all became clear to her when she spotted the head of white hair and a blue maid dress.
"Elizabeth!" The unhinged woman's shout was boisterous and provocative as the other people glanced at her with confused and disapproving looks.
Her Majesty looked unfazed by the woman and her smile grew even more. "Oh... well, looks like all is right in the world," she said with a giggle and a relaxed sigh that the carrier was alive and nothing bad had happened. Of course, they were all informed through both Belfast and Edinburgh that she had run away during the night. Just like Belfast and Wales, they had also been on the lookout for her until they had to call it quits for that day when it started to get dark. The plans with the museum also helped with her decision-making as this event had been planned a while ago and could not cancel on such short notice.
The unhinged woman now identified as the maid carrier calmed her frantic energy. This whole time, she had been struggling against two workers that were holding her back. "Where is she!?"
Her Majesty gave the go-ahead to release her and the two were now only a few feet from each other. "Huh? You mean Belfast... actually, now that you mentioned it... Illustrious?" Her urgency was on the same level as the carrier, and she mentally slapped herself for not giving it thought earlier.
Illustrious looked hesitant, looking at the serious eyes of the other two women. "She said that she was going to take the scenic route to clear her head with a walk after… well, I guess we don't need to explain it now. Anyway, her flat is nearby about a neighborhood away and I haven't heard anything after my phone call with her about an hour ago." As soon as the white-haired royal said that, she reflected on those words and her worry started to grow.
The blue-dressed maid carrier began to tremble with anger and her eyes expressed a horror that hadn't been seen in a while. "Are you kidding me!?"
"What? What's going on?" Said Warspite with growing concern as well.
"That neighborhood she's walking so carelessly into is shady all the way to kingdom come!" She pushed past the other patrons and ran to the exit.
"Your Majesty, I'm going to assist her!" Declared Warspite.
Her Majesty worriedly held a finger to her lips to hide the look of dread. "That won't be necessary. We will only slow down the strongest of the Eagle Union. God speed, Miss Enterprise. Make sure your Queen is safe."
More time had gone by, and in the nearby neighborhood, the light cruiser walked the lit snowy path of streetlamps on her way to the museum. For a trip that felt a bit long, her brisk walk should have got her there already, but that wasn't the case. In reality, she walked slowly and unenthusiastically, as she had previously been going back and forth on whether she wanted to go to the event her queen had invited her to, even after solidifying her answer by telling her Majesty.
After telling Her Majesty what had happened with Enterprise, Queen Elizabeth understood if she didn't show up but merely added that a night with companions while surrounded by art would do some good for her and help her tackle another day of searching.
It was her obligation to assist Her Majesty in her goal to secure funds for the museum, yet she didn't want to and was close to flat out accepting the offer of not showing up. The only reason she agreed to go was purely out of her duty as a maid. However, she continued to waver even now that she was almost there. The idea that Enterprise might come back and find the flat empty made her spine run cold. She shouldn't be going to social events especially when she hadn't come to terms with the emotional day of failing to locate her carrier.
Quiet tears began to fall on her face, and she affectionately touched her arm sling in two vain attempts; to keep warm and find some connection she still had to the woman she loved.
Only the darkest thoughts plagued her about where she could be, and she refused to imagine anything harmful. "Enterprise... why couldn't I just leave it as it was? I'm so selfish, and I would rather have you like this than one of us being dead."
As she reached the crossing of a dark alleyway, a darkly dressed man looking like the epitome of a classic mobster blocked her path. "Well, well, well. Look what we have here boys."
Belfast recoiled in fright and noticed that four more men poured out of the alleyway and surrounded her. They were dressed classily, yet in no way to outshine the sharp look of the man that initially startled her.
"You lost, little lady?" Asked the intense first stranger that was most likely the head person among the group.
"She looks loss, boss..." Said one of the men with an unnerving enthusiastic tone.
Belfast's emotions were raw, and she forced herself to return to her proper state with the experience of countless battles behind her that should have given her the confidence to stare down these men without fear. Yet, she couldn't stop her knees from shaking. "I'm not lost, sirs. I'm on my way to the art museum and Her Majesty is expecting me. If you delay me, she's not the type to easily forgive."
One of the men, who wore a brown newsboy hat and had a plain white dress shirt under his brown coat chuckled rudely. "Ah, the queen. That little bratty bird is going to pay her attention toward us?"
The maid narrowed her eyes, which backfired as it seemed to perk the rude man more. "If you halt me, she will swiftly bring down her kind yet iron hand down on all of you."
"How's she going to do that when we're a bunch of nobodies?" Another, more sarcastic voice rang from behind her.
She looked behind to see a man that wore a black jacket with a checkered gray scarf around his neck.
"Hey, boss. Check out her arm, she's damaged goods!"
Just as quickly as another voice spoke, she felt a harsh squeeze that centered on her wounded shoulder that sent a fit of pain coursing through her body. With venom in her eyes, she hissed and used her other arm to block and keep the man at bay, causing that said man to howl in energetic happiness at how feisty she was.
The leader of the group cruelly chuckled at the display of pain flashing across her doll-like face. "Yes, damaged goods are rarely ever missed." The light in his eyes showed a dark conclusion as to what he wanted out of the wounded woman in front of him. There was an animalistic hunger in his eyes, and she could feel herself being undressed from their gazes.
"You monsters!" She viciously glared at them, the fear in her eyes not letting up.
"Hold her down, boys! Let's make this night a one to remember."
Ravenous hands aggressively held her, and they retreated with her deeper into the alleyway, not shy or even caring about the intensity of their grip on her wounded arm. "Arrgh! Help—Enterprise!" Her heart and lungs shouted into the cold night for the one she wanted, hopelessly knowing it was a futile endeavor. She could not land a punch on them as they restricted her movements and finally pushed her down onto the dirty alleyway ground that was littered with trash, food, and grease fluids from a nearby restaurant dumpster.
"Shut her up!" Yelled the leader of the group and another man placed a rough hand over her mouth.
"—Argh! She bit my hand!"
"Oh, I like this little birdy!" Happily shouted the man from earlier who had initially grabbed her by the shoulder.
A checkered gray scarf descended on her and it was immediately wrapped around her mouth.
Horror reflected in her eyes. This was happening, she told herself. She was going to experience the loss of something important to her tonight in this dirty, dark, and cold alleyway. Tears of despair filled her eyes as she had imagined her first time being with the woman with who she had shared a home. Now it was going to be with five unscrupulous men in this alleyway with the only witnesses to their sinful deeds being the street rats that ate from scraps near the dumpster.
"Now that's a beautiful look you have in your eyes. Keep her still!" Roared the leader.
The vile darkly dressed man, who might as well have been the boogeyman in her mind, loomed over her. His wicked grin shone in the darkness as he drew closer to her with a hand reaching underneath her jacket to touch the warmness of her stomach.
She shut her eyes and retreated to a happy memory that would bitterly ease her through this ordeal that she wanted nothing to do with.
The rats who had been eating and keeping to themselves suddenly tensed and scurried away from a heavy feel of static in the air. It grew heavier and palpable. Within a blink of an eye, the area around the men sparked wildly as if some sort of firecracker had gone off.
No, to say it was a firecracker would be an insult. An ignition of blinding light that easily singed the arm hairs of the men had gone off. They stood petrified at the static and intense atmosphere that caused them all to face a figure standing on the sidewalk near the entrance of the alleyway.
"W-Who the fuck are you?!" Yelled the leader who got up from the crying and mentally detached Belfast.
The figure, who was a woman wearing a blue dress and brown coat spoke with a deadly tone, despite her haggard breaths from running. "The last… person you want to cross… on a cold and heartless night like this." In perspective, her frantic breathing complemented her deadly look and tone. Her focus drifted to the crying woman on the floor for a second and her gaze darted back at them with a deadlier look, if that was even possible. A thin arrow materialized in her hands, and she held the burning piece of sharp light without any indication of it harming her.
"She's one of those Kansen freaks!" Shouted the man with the newsboy hat.
"Screw this bitch!" The leader raised his revealed pistol, but the white-haired arrow wielder was quicker. The arrow of light flew out of her hand and collided with the metal of the weapon, creating a bright flash like the first one.
"Ahh! My hand, she singed my hand!" Howled the darkly dressed man as his hand was burned to the point that permanent scarring would most likely always be there.
They tensed fearfully when the woman began to speak.
"All of you... to think you are human. You're a disgrace, and lower than any Siren!"
The men took a step back at the hateful words from the vengeful shipgirl before them.
The carrier said nothing as another arrow illuminated her face to see her glaring purple eyes. The arrow she held, could never damage a Siren without her bow, but for feeble rats in the shape of men, that wouldn't be a problem. She raised the arrow made of light above her head, and it enlarged greatly to the point that it could have been a spear. While her output in terms of power was lower without her bow, aesthetically, she could still lean in more on presentation and instill the visage of horror in their minds. That's what her enlarged arrow was meant for, but that didn't necessarily mean her bark ultimately had no bite. "Go on, give me a reason," she murderously stated.
"Let's get out of here!" Cried one of the men while another helped the leader who pathetically hobbled due to the pain he sustained. Just like rats, they fled deeper into the alleyway that led out to another exit where the adjacent street resided.
Once they were completely gone, the carrier exhaled and dismantled her large arrow with a tightening of her fingers. The serious glare she harbored diminished along with her arrow. Now, it was replaced with a worrying and gentle gaze at the woman that lay on the ground.
She removed the scarf from her mouth and held her safely. Belfast emotionally returned and squirmed from the unknown contact. Unrivaled fear flashed across her blue eyes, making the other want to bear her pain so she wouldn't have to. "It's me! Belfast, It's okay! No one's going to hurt you."
The head maid got up slowly with the help of the other, and she looked into the eyes of her knight. "You came... you actually came." Even while emotionally shocked and defenseless, she gasped, realizing what the carrier had said.
Enterprise smiled softly and knew why she looked a different kind of stunned than the terrifying version. "It's me, Belfast… all of me. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry... for everything."
Belfast held her and kissed her with all the love she could ever draw. She would not admit it, but she wanted to make this kiss overwrite all that happened moments earlier. They parted and Enterprise looked at her with hazy love-filled eyes.
Belfast dried her tears and forced herself to smile. "There's been enough apologizing to last a lifetime." She rested her head on the carrier's chest. "Take me back to our home… please."
Enterprise agreed and the two moved hurriedly out of the area.
That night was one of reconnection as the two held each other close, mostly Enterprise holding the still shaken head maid, reassuring her that there was nothing to fear.
The next morning, the head maid awoke on her bed by herself, and her phone a wasteland of missed calls; all from Her Majesty and her other ship allies.
Before she could make sense of whether she should reach out to them or wonder about Enterprise, the door opened with the woman of her mind standing there.
The carrier donned a fresh blue dress and red apron but this time, she no longer had the glasses, bandana, or ponytail. "Hey..." She casually said, oozing the mannerisms that the carrier normally spoke with.
"Hey..." Mimicked the head maid with a soft smile while she lifted her upper body and rested her head on the pillow she had been holding like a stuffed animal.
Enterprise blushed and lifted the tray, catching the light cruiser's attention. "I made breakfast."
"Yum..." said Belfast, her expression smitten and dreamy.
"Bel..." She faltered in what she wanted to say and focused on bringing the tray to the light cruiser. She had many things to say to her and in turn, the woman on the bed had many things to say to her.
"Did you sleep well last night?" She asked, trying to stir up some semblance of a conversation.
The royal nodded softly. "I did. My knight made sure of that." She smiled at her full of thanks and devotion for last night would have been a sleepless one if it weren't for the affection of the woman she loved.
"Good…" said Enterprise, hiding another blush.
"I guess I won't be seeing Madam Eagle Union anymore…." She spoke too soon and widened her eyes in pleasant surprise when she gazed at the delicious royal breakfast now on her bed.
Enterprise laughed at herself lightly as she joined her on the comfy bed in a sitting manner with her back facing the light cruiser. "I couldn't come up with a better name... regardless, I don't know how to explain it. She was an extension of me created from my desire to forget."
"Enterprise, you don't need to explain," she said with an understanding tone.
The carrier made a face and shook her head. "No. I remember everything that we did together in this place and how this love I feel for you is truly genuine. Eugen was right. Hurting you by accident wasn't a good reason for me to shut myself from you and the world. I knew that deep inside but willingly forgot so that I could face you. Bel, I wanted to be useful to you for what I did."
A hand reached from behind her, and she was quickly drawn in until her face was resting on the chest of the head maid. The silkiness of the dress shirt and the softness of the head maid's chest worked dynamically to cause the tired carrier to close her eyes and breathe happily.
"You were useful… in both as a maid and companion. But… all I ever needed was you by my side and you elevated my heart when you came to the Royal Capital for me. Miss Enterprise, all you need to do to make me happy is just be yourself. That is the woman I fell in love with after all," she said sweetly.
Enterprise gazed longly at the injured light cruiser and her lips trembled into a smile. "Bel… I love you."
Belfast smiled while having tears in her eyes filled with pure joy. This version of their 'I love you' was nowhere as sad as when she was told those words while Enterprise was still Madam Eagle Union. "I love you too, Enterprise."
The carrier detached herself from the woman, her eyes spelling out questions that still lingered in her mind, even if they might no longer be relevant in the grand scheme of things. "Belfast… this might ruin the mood, but why were you there at the park when I was practicing my shots?"
A deep desire to know fueled the archer and Belfast could see the determination that wouldn't accept anything else but the truth.
Wearily smiling, she nervously giggled. "Alright, my love. But you first. Why were you using live arrows?" Asked the light cruiser.
Enterprise was not surprised that she had her own question she wanted to be answered, and it was the same one that the queen and the others had wanted to know. The archer sighed and stretched her body out until she was resting next to the other woman. Without words, and expressing a playful expression, she pulled the tray over to her, and her hand that held a knife began cutting through the bacon. Through the rhythmic motions of the knife, her lips soon revealed it all. "It's a little silly but the thing is… the mock arrows always have the wrong weight to them even though I bring this matter to command time and time again. There's no point in practicing with arrows that are of different weight to mine. So, I practice away from others to avoid harming anyone. I won't be doing that anymore though." She held up a slice of egg and bacon skewered on a fork, offering it to the light cruiser.
Belfast could see the guilt and sadness on her fragile smile, making her unable to fault this woman who had already punished herself greatly. She said nothing and opened her mouth to accept the food. That was her way of showing forgiveness to the carrier, and the carrier's smile grew sturdier.
"What about you? Why were you there?"
Belfast swallowed and bashfully covered her mouth with her hand, knowing that she now had to honor her promise. "It's sillier and embarrassing compared to yours." There was humility laced in her words while looking at the ship of her heart. "I was stalking you…"
Enterprise blushed and she would be lying if she said that she wasn't flattered.
Belfast gripped the woman's hand lightly, to express there's more to be said and not leave it so cut and dry. "I noticed how hard you've been pushing yourself and was shadowing you to see what it was that you were doing. You clearly looked tired and yet refused to sleep. I know, 'Belfast, why didn't you confront me about it like you normally do?'" She imitated an endearing impression of the carrier's voice with all the added goofy body language that resonated with someone hating to be stated the obvious.
Regardless, Enterprise found herself laughing heartwarmingly at the rare display, knowing that Belfast felt that comfortable with her.
Belfast nervously swallowed and continued. "The thing about that, I couldn't see you without blushing madly. I felt this attraction to you around the time we first met, and definitely once I got to know you more as a person. It finally reached a point where I was dead certain about what I wanted. And my face betrayed my calm and collected mind. You were just so difficult, and you excited me for being the complete opposite of what I told myself I needed in a partner. In reality, I dreamed wonderful tales to that of a little girl seeking her knight."
Enterprise continued to blush and remembered the conversation they had when she first helped Belfast take a bath. "I was your antithesis."
The head maid smirked playfully. "You make it sound like a bad thing. You are my other half, Enterprise. I can't see myself falling for a girl who's a maid, acts proper like me, and would never take me out of my comfort zone to experience new things."
"But you always told me that one must act with elegance and grace," said the carrier.
"Yes, and I believe that at the core of my soul. But you showed me that those two things can come in many forms outside the persona of a maid. That's also why I never fell in love until I met you." She giggled and kissed a confused Enterprise on the forehead. "I learned that it's you who I want as I still loved you even when you changed into a maid and conducted yourself most charmingly and properly possible."
The royal had opened her heart to her and poured out all her deeply guarded thoughts that shined new light into the archer's heart.
"I feel the same way," said Enterprise. She held her hand with hers and looked at each other. "Belfast, I felt something special for you that I thought it was out of you being there to pull me out of my darkness, but seeing you hurt… knowing that I might lose you, made me the most fearful I have been in a long time. Being your maid helped me understand those feelings of wanting to keep you safe."
This time, Belfast was the one that rested her head lovingly on the carrier's chest, finding the heartbeat of the woman she loved like a soothing lullaby. "We have a lot of catching up to do," whispered the maid as she grabbed the fork and lifted food toward Enterprise once she detached herself.
The Eagle Union carrier accepted the food and after she swallowed, her eyes guiltily glanced at the sling of the royal. "How's your shoulder? Can I see it?"
Belfast was caught off guard yet could see the worry in her eyes. "After we eat," she said definitively.
The food was quickly done with, and they moved to the bathroom afterward where Belfast had her shirt hanging from her shoulder to allow what the carrier wanted to see.
There was only a light display of a few gauzes that sparked comfort in the carrier as no dried-up blood had penetrated them. Meaning that the thugs from last night hadn't severely damaged the healing process. Past the gauzes, Enterprise nodded knowingly as no decaying smell appeared since the last time she cleaned it, and the now sealed injury had only light scarring. She subconsciously reached to feel the edges of the injury which made Belfast grunt softly. "S-Sorry…"
"No, it's fine. It felt more tender than painful," said the royal with a brave face.
"It looks better," ultimately concluded the carrier with hopeful and sad eyes.
Belfast lifted the woman's chin with her other hand to make her see her eye to eye. "It'll leave a small scar, but I don't mind. I see it as love's arrow that set us both on our journey."
Before they could do anything else, like lean in for a long and passionate kiss, rapid knocks of about six every second reached their ears from the living room door.
"That must be..." As soon as Enterprise said it, Belfast started to receive more calls from Wales and Her Majesty via her vibrating phone on the sink counter.
"... company," ended Belfast. She gave Enterprise a quick kiss that spelled more to come later, and the carrier hurriedly covered the wound, buttoned her shirt, and fitted her slingback within the span of a few minutes. Belfast had made sure to let them know they were coming, so they wouldn't keep up the excessive knocking.
Once at the door, they greeted the crowd of frantic shipgirls that consisted of Wales, Eugen, Queen Elizabeth, Warspite, Illustrious, and Edinburgh.
The next fifteen minutes had all of them cramped around the table while Enterprise and Illustrious worked together to make tea and crumpets.
All the others, minus Warspite and Her Majesty stood in awe at the unlikely dynamic that both carriers exuded.
"Ah, I see you grown to like my recipe?" Asked the royal carrier with a friendly smile.
Enterprise tried to hide a smirk but was unsuccessful. "Yeah, once I fixed the recipe that is." She expertly mixed the batter without a break in her rotations.
Illustrious cocked her head from her position at the stove and continued to smile. "I'm happy for you. Let's hope that they come out holey and flat from fixing something that didn't need to be fixed," she said with masked contempt.
While Belfast watched Enterprise and Illustrious throw quips back and forth, she still couldn't help but be surprised that her girlfriend and Illustrious had been teacher and student. Just the idea of Illustrious teaching Enterprise would have been a sight to see.
"Hey, why are you here?" Asked Queen Elizabeth to Eugen.
Belfast turned her head to see Wales tense.
The blonde figured that with all the drama, Her Majesty would have glossed over that detail about Eugen. It didn't even strike Her Majesty in any way when they converged at the front door at the same time before frantically knocking.
Edinburgh could see Her Majesty darting her eyes between Wales and Eugen.
"I..." The Iron Blood looked at Wales who gave her a pleading look. "... happened to be in the area and decided on seeing my friend Enterprise."
The Eagle Union carrier landed a tray of tea in front of all of them and nodded. "Yep, she and I are really good friends."
Eugen silently moved her lips into a thank you toward Enterprise when she had used her teacup to hide her moving lips from the queen.
Queen Elizabeth took her cup of tea and smiled at Enterprise. "Ah, well that makes sense. I guess both you and Wales happened to arrive at the same time," she said with her grin hidden behind the cup.
"In fairness, we all arrived at the same time at Enterprise's door," said Wales nervously.
"That makes sense," she said, hardly believing it considering the reason they were all there, and the coincidence was too high. She put the matter to rest for now.
It was worth noting that they all arrived in a group together minus Wales and Eugen, who conveniently showed up at the other end of the hallway before they joined up to knock.
Her Majesty moved to the light cruiser with a sincere smile. "Belfast, how are you doing? We were all worried about you last night when you didn't show up."
"Apologies, your Majesty. The thing is..." Her composed face gave out and an expression of a whimper started to show. She couldn't find the strength to continue as the brutal memory of almost getting raped haunted her. Their touch alone already traumatized her to no end.
They could all see her skin turn pale and her anxiety increase from the shakiness of her cup.
Edinburgh out of nowhere hugged her tightly and Illustrious placed a hand on her shoulder from behind.
Wales and Eugen gave her sympathetic looks while Her Majesty and Warspite gazed at her with sadness.
Her Majesty was the one to break the silence. "You don't need to explain anything. Miss Enterprise has already taken action by calling early in the morning and giving detailed descriptions about how they looked."
Belfast gasped and looked all around her. "You all know?"
They all nodded, revealing the frantic and worried theme they expressed from the beginning. Belfast thought that it was because she hadn't called them back. The head maid lovingly glanced at Enterprise who joined them with a warm smile.
"I didn't tell you early because I didn't want you to be reminded of them any further."
"Fear not, Belfast. They will be caught and prosecuted under the full might of Her Majesty," said Warspite.
"They said they were nobodies. It might be hard to find them," said Belfast with downcast eyes.
Queen Elizabeth rolled her eyes at the words those thugs had said. "Pfft, in the Royal Capital, nobody is nobody. The descriptions that Miss Enterprise gave about a darkly dressed man do match a few other cases that popped up. I guarantee you that the success rate of their capture is high, especially with the burned hand Miss Enterprise inflicted on the leader. Hehe, I doubt they will be going to a hospital and without proper treatment, that hand won't be able to feel anything ever again."
"Your Majesty, vindictiveness doesn't suit you," somberly said Illustrious.
Her Majesty crossed her arms. "I'll allow it this time for the unspeakable deeds they committed! A shipgirl is no different than a human and we all have rights that shouldn't be violated!"
Enterprise nodded in agreement yet didn't partake in the strident words from the queen.
Belfast wondered if Enterprise had been conflicted in any way at the fact that she had to unleash a fraction of her might against a human. She was a protector of humanity just like the rest of them, yet when faced with a hard decision, no one would blame her for what she chose.
Enterprise caught Belfast staring at her and smiled kindly at her with eyes that no longer looked heavy with burden. In her own way, she expressed that she didn't revel in what she did but was a necessary action to protect the woman she loved.
Belfast shot her a loving and devoted look then acknowledged Her Majesty. "Thank you, your Majesty, and thank you, Enterprise."
After tea and crumpets, they all decided to head out for a bit of winter fun to help wash away the grimness that the head maid suffered through, and also since the end of the year was upon them.
"My queen, thank you." Belfast stood with Her Majesty while the others were gathering their coats and jackets in the living room. They were in the pantry room behind the kitchen and Queen Elizabeth looked at her with confusion.
"Huh? There's no need to thank me again, Bel."
"This thank you is for bringing Enterprise to the Royal Capital and giving her the chance to amend her wrong that ate away at her. I don't know what kind of state she would be in now if she didn't exercise her guilt."
Queen Elizabeth hid her touched smile with an overlapping smirk as she puffed her chest out proudly. "Nonsense, when I heard the news, I knew it was an accident! Besides, I know she's good for you."
"My queen?" Belfast held a hand close to her chest and her face turned crimson.
Her Majesty expressed a cocky grin and pointed a finger at the head maid. "You've changed, Bel. As one of my most distinguished maids that marveled at life, there used to be a vacancy one could see in your eyes. I never said anything as you were happy and excellent at your job. Perhaps too excellent, I might add. While I encouraged everyone to maintain grace and elegance, you seemed to meld with it and grow a stiff personality from it... kind of like a certain Madam who needs no introduction."
"Your Majesty… are you calling me a buzzkill?!" Asked Belfast very offendedly.
"In a way, yes. It was always hard to get you to relax from your maidly duties... just ask Edinburgh. Of course, once you met HER, I noticed your new smile."
"My new... smile?"
"Yes, it got wider and unrestricted as if you were smiling genuinely for the first time. You seemed to have found something new that moved you aside from being a maid, am I right?"
Belfast closed her eyes and let those words comfort her. "I won't argue there. It would be a lie to say that she didn't add new colors to my life. Being a dignified maid has always been a part of who I am. It's where I draw strength, confidence, and everything else that makes me who I am. But now... I wouldn't mind if I lived for her." She paused and smiled at how fatally romantic she strung everything together.
Queen Elizabeth playfully shook her head and stood proud at the maid. "You have my approval to date Miss Enterprise—can't say the same for Miss Wales though—but ignore that comment, please. That aside, a power couple of this caliber will be advantageous to both the Eagle Union and Royal Navy. I can see bonds being strengthened and our enemies and rival factions growing cautious of their nefarious deeds against us."
"That might be reaching a bit, your Majesty. Still, I don't like the tactical and political view you see our relationship—and I urge you to reconsider what you said about Wales, or else she might jump ship as the saying goes. In fact, what's to stop me from joining the Eagle Union if our love will be nothing more than a tactical piece?" Seriously said the head maid.
Queen Elizabeth's face comedically looked hurt. "Bah! Bel! You wouldn't do that would you!?"
The seriousness in the light cruiser's face softened, yet her eyes held on to a stern intensity. "I'm jesting, your Majesty... but know that Wales and Eugen have been together for a while and seem like a serious thing. I would welcome their relationship with open arms if I were you."
"Bel! I was joking too and venting slightly! I won't stand in their way, but I can't say the same for her sisters. Kyaa! You better be telling the truth about not going to the Eagle Union…" She made an endearing wounded expression and walked away to join the others. Just as she did, she bumped into Enterprise's chest at the doorway.
"Ah, sorry, Elizabeth," said Enterprise with an embarrassed smile.
"It's all good," she happily giggled to play off her embarrassment about headbutting the carrier's chest. Once it was through her system, she gave the carrier a stern look. "Miss Enterprise, you've learned a lot under my short tutelage, and have become an ideal maid that's fit to serve the head maid of the Royal Navy. As Miss Belfast's recovery is nearing the end, you have performed remarkably in your job. I thank you for that."
"What's this all of a sudden? Hmm, it was my pleasure, Queen Elizabeth," said Enterprise. Out of unfathomable respect for the battleship, she lowered her head and lifted her dress slightly. Her stance was perfect, yet Belfast noticed that her resolve in it did not match it compared to when she had been Madam Eagle Union.
Her Majesty smirked and shook her head. "I bet it was... in more ways than one," she ended it with cheeky and raised eyebrows.
Belfast held a hand to her mouth and stared holes into the back of the battleship's head.
The light cruiser was about to let her have it when someone else beat her to the punch as Illustrious had been wandering near the kitchen searching for them when she heard that comment. "Your Majesty, come here this instance!"
"Ah, Illustrious—I wasn't trying to be lewd with what I meant!" The queen moved past Enterprise and was gone from their sight.
"Did I miss something?"
Belfast giggled and noticed that Enterprise's red apron looked disorderly. With one hand, she fixed it for her and gave her a happy smile. "No, it's best you don't understand the double meaning behind what she said."
Enterprise then held onto the royal's hand with hers and the two smiled at each other. Without words, Belfast rested her head on the shoulder of her girlfriend, looking toward the pantry room that held a fond memory for her.
"New beginnings are coming," said the head maid dreamily.
"That they are, Mistress Belfast."
Belfast gave her a funny look and then relaxed into her lover's warm embrace.
"I guess since we are... a couple, I'll have to resign as your maid," spoke Enterprise playfully and warmly without any hint of sadness.
Belfast playfully followed suit with the statement. "I think I'll manage from here. I do have a loving and capable girlfriend now."
This concludes the end of the Head Maid's Maid. I didn't intend to write this much but since I couldn't give this a long run to flesh it out more, and feeling inspired by this idea, I went a bit further than planned.
If some are interested, I do have a rule about not killing off characters that appear in my stories. There won't be a story where Enterprise or Belfast is dead, and the other must go through the motions of loss while learning to keep loving. Romance is the top priority with these one-shots along with drama and some sad parts to help elevate the happy moments.
I hope the part in the alleyway wasn't too bad and it made for a nice hero save from Enterprise. The next one will be more on the light-hearted side like Bloom Through Plushies. Once again, thank you all for reading, and may you all have a wonderful day!
