Summary: The city of sin or LV city is the land of casinos and glamor around every corner, and one of the best places to either win big or lose everything.
Belfast, Enterprise, Edinburgh, and Seydlitz arrive in this bustling city full of excitement on every corner. While all four of them get to interact and enjoy each other's company, a secret is revealed pertaining to Belfast. What is the Belfast foundation? And how can Enterprise help to make it a reality? A one-shot continuation of Soldier Girl.
[The Belfast Foundation]
After an ordeal going through LV city's sweltering desert, they finally reached the crowning jewel that was the city of sin. Bright lights, neon signs, and the unique ambiance of a city filled with adult vices greeted them.
They had reached the long-awaited city around the afternoon mark, and it was now nighttime when they had gone through all the formalities of checking into their luxurious hotel called the Eagle Lux and situating themselves fully. With that out of the way, all four of them, Belfast, Enterprise, Seydlitz, and Edinburgh took the elevator down to the casino floor.
As the glossy elevator doors opened, they were hit with rich and high levels of oxygen that circulated throughout the casino palace floor. Sounds of slot machines, dice rolling, casino chips exchanging hands, and people shouting with a mixture of both elation and despair resounded.
Breathing the air that was designed to keep the guest energetic and gambling made Enterprise feel lighter than air. As she, Belfast, Edinburgh, and Seydlitz made their way to the center of the flashy area, the options of what activity to do felt overwhelming, to say the least. To one side, a sea of casino slot machines, and to the other side, tables lined up with different styles of games like roulette, blackjack, and poker were respectively presented.
The smile of wonder hardly faded from the face of Enterprise. The glitz and glamour of the Eagle Lux were nothing to scoff at and there were no more doubts that they had picked the right hotel to stay in.
All three wore some level of casual wear befitting the casino nightlife.
For Belfast, she wore a dark blue dress with light blue detailing and frills. Always the perfectionist, she kept her elegance and grace that naturally made others, including men, gawk at her with turned necks. Enterprise feeling territorial, wrapped a loving hand around her girlfriend's shoulders to send the one singular message that they would understand, "back off, she's taken."
The bandages that she wore on her hands gave that dangerous street punk vibe, contrary to her thinking people would make fun of her mitten hands. Sometime earlier, Belfast and Edinburgh helped redressed the bandages but since they were maids and not medics their end result was more or less something that looked like mittens. It was indeed a far cry from the medic that initially dressed her wounds by wrapping every individual finger and granting her some retained flexibility.
Belfast's older sister, Edinburgh, wore almost the same style of dress but instead of it being long at the bottom, it shortened around her thighs and was yellow overall. Black form-fitting pants leggings stylishly went down her legs that culminated in elegant black pumps.
Moving to Enterprise, she wore a white blouse, a dark blue blazer that matched the color of her girlfriend's dress, black pants, and brown boots.
Lastly, Seydlitz wore a black long sleeve shirt, a checkered red and black skirt, and black knee-long stockings that went with a pair of white boots. She felt a bit self-conscious with this outfit because to her, it wasn't nearly that masculine compared to her naval attire or even the casual outfit that she wore when she was in Haven's Outpost. It was indeed a shame as she did adore that checkered button-up shirt that made her look like some college student on vacation.
Back to the Eagle Union carrier. Something inside her told her that this was the best opportunity to assist her girlfriend with the agenda that she promised she would help her with. That in turn, made her look over to her girlfriend and the head maid gave her a nonverbal signal to commence operation Girlfriend Evaluation.
The silver-haired closed her eyes, hoping that Belfast's pressing questions wouldn't sow discourse among the group. She cleared her throat and grabbed the older royal sister's attention. "Hey, Edinburgh, let's join one of the tables."
Edinburgh beamed at the offer. "Oh, didn't take you for a gambling woman!" She joyfully clapped. The older maid was an enthusiast of all things that helped her in accumulating wealth like money and gold. Ironically enough, her poker face while dealing in the affairs of cards, chips, and dealers was iron clad, which spoke volumes as she had a habit of folding around the worldly pressures of everyday life.
Enterprise looked away, her face turning shy and red as she never once participated in gambling. "Well, people have told me that I can be rather lucky. If I had a friend to accompany me, I wouldn't be shy about trying out that luck. When in Rome… as they say," she uneasily smiled.
The glasses-wearing royal couldn't agree more, and she would be lying if she said that the bold claim of her being lucky didn't entice her. "Say no more, Enterprise! I'll show you the ropes, and I think I'll do my own betting by releasing some of my funds from the Belfast foundation. Just so that you can have a free go at the higher betting tables without having to spend your money."
"Belfast foundation?" Perkily Inquired Enterprise with a look toward Belfast.
Even Seydlitz turned to the head maid who had been silent this whole time but now feeling the hot spotlight on her. "We will not discuss this, and please refrain from talking further about it, dear older sister." Her words were strong, yet her face showed cracks of faint embarrassment, nonetheless.
It was music to Edinburgh's ears, and she felt a sense of euphoric elation. "You called me older sister... it came from me twisting your arm, but I'll accept it nonetheless." She giggled happily to herself which made Seydlitz smile silently. When it passed, Edinburgh grabbed the archer's arm. "Now, let's go, Enterprise."
The unlikely gambling duo ventured to the nearest high roulette table on their mission for glory and victory.
Once they were gone, Belfast composed herself from her sister almost embarrassing her in front of Enterprise. The main reason it embarrassed her was the absurd name that her older sister called it: the Belfast foundation.
"Why didn't you tell her about the Belfast foundation?" Casually inquired the Iron Blood woman. She flashed her a smile, yet Belfast stood guarded to her emotions.
"My sister told you...?" She bewilderedly stated, feeling a bit upset that she disclosed her personal matters.
The pink-haired woman gave her a confused look and now felt like maybe she should have kept quiet about that. "Y-Yeah. It's a wonderful ambition much like your sister's gold pursuits, but I guess those two things go hand in hand."
Belfast gave her a stare yet ultimately smiled softly. "It's a bit embarrassing and nothing is set in stone. It's still a pipe dream and I have told Edinburgh to not worry about it for now." In the end, it was her dream and if she wanted it to be a reality then she would have to make it so under her own efforts, but that's something that her older sister would not accept.
"Planning for the future is never a bad thing in itself, milady. She adores you and wishes to support you."
"My future feels ever-changing, Miss Seydlitz. And it's one where its foundation is undecided until this fight with the Sirens is truly over."
It was Seydlitz turned to blush, and she tried to hide the sour look she donned when she heard the honorific used for her name. "Please, milady. There's no need for Miss to be used toward me. I'm no lady after all."
The Iron Blood's preposterous claim nearly made Belfast laugh, but she caught herself as that wouldn't be polite or appropriate. "Hmmm, you don't see yourself as a woman?" She proclaimed, a ping of irritation shining through.
The pink-haired battlecruiser straightened in attention, showing a soldier's aura. It was an amusing contrast to how girly and stylish she looked, like some battle-hardened commando wearing a floaty tube around their waist. "In honesty—and I won't lie to my girlfriend's sister— no. I see myself as a soldier before anything else." Despite such bulletproof resolve, her eyes told something different, something soft, that went in contrary to her thick soldier skin.
"Well… that's not good. A woman should carry herself with elegance and grace. I'm sure my sister agrees with me." Despite her obvious objections to what she heard; a warm feeling seeped into her heart and made her smile softly. It brought her back to the earlier days of her meeting with Enterprise. Whether it was seeing oneself as a soldier or a machine was interchangeable, and it was poetic that her older sister had found a lover that resembled the troubled mindset of Enterprise.
Seydlitz crossed her arms under her breasts and dejectedly looked down. "Edin..." She was kicking herself now that she let that provocative claim pour out of her like vomit. Honestly—and this was more honest than the blatant reflex of the word honesty that she used earlier, she didn't truly know what she felt. She felt like she was being pulled between two camps. On one side, her duty as a soldier resided, and on the other, her love for the clumsy lovable royal maid resided.
A shift was happening within her and she was changing for the better, but her personality to be a soldier was deeply ingrained into her psyche, so it was indeed an uphill battle.
They were off to a bad start and Belfast desperately wanted to feel that this woman was indeed right for her sister. She hated to compare, but Sheffield continued to pop into her mind and the regrettably dumped maid had one point while Seydlitz had zero.
She composed herself and discarded her sour feeling to start anew with the Iron Blood woman. After all, the love of her life that she couldn't live without was once like that, too. "So, Seydlitz. Have you ever gambled?" She innocently stated, hiding her playful intentions, which was to do a full evaluation of the battlecruiser before her. Battlecruiser. That was another adorably poetic thing. Enterprise was a carrier and Seydlitz was a battlecruiser meaning that their girlfriends were powerhouses.
The despondent tones that had marred the pink-haired woman's face had vanished, and a smirk formed. "You asking me that is like asking me if I partake in the comfort of a nice cold beer. I'll say that I've never gambled under an opulent setting such as this." Internally, it was embarrassing to say that she played a bit of dice behind the Iron Blood dorm building with other Iron Blood shipgirls, like Hipper and Scharnhorst. The ambiance of such an environment invoked the rowdy energy to that of teenage boys playing dice in a dirty alleyway.
Belfast placed her hands behind her back and stared at her softly. "I see. Shall we take it easy and find ourselves a set of slot machines?"
"Oh? Sounds like a plan. I hope Edin doesn't sink Enterprise with her ambition," she joked before they set off to the flashing and decorative slots.
(A short while later)
"Black seventeen!" Shouted the dealer with emotion, and trepidation. Trepidation because the silver-haired woman that seemingly came out of nowhere had begun to win big at her table. This dealer wore a neat golden bun on top of her head, and she dressed in attire composed of a black vest, black bowtie, black dress pants, and white dress shirt under the vest.
A few people had congregated behind the shipgirl that was winning big. Edinburgh was among that small crowd and her eyes bugged out at the astronomical luck that favored them. She pulled her mouth from the straw that connected to her coconut drink—it was unknown to Enterprise where she got that drink—and began to playfully slap the carrier's back. "Oh, my goodness. Lucky with a capital E!"
Enterprise half attempted a laugh while feeling nervous. "Don't think lucky has an E in it. Besides, you showing me the basics of roulette did help." She still didn't fully know what was going on, only that she was placing her bets equally between red and black, and selecting numbers that called to her. In honesty, she didn't need to go deeper than that as all the numbers she called out were being selected by the ball that danced around the roulette wheel.
"It does when it involves you, my dear Enterprise!" She yelled, and in turn, the other guest rallied behind Edinburgh with equally exuberant cries of joy.
The dealer stared hard at the carrier as she reluctantly pushed more poker chips toward Enterprise's direction. "Does the miss wishes to cash out?" She stoically stated.
That plagued Enterprise's mind and she pensively placed a hand on her chin. "Hmm, maybe I should quit while I'm ahead." She conclusively stated. Just then, Edinburgh grabbed her by the shoulders and urgently rubbed her.
Enterprise let out a relaxed moan, her muscles melting to the blissful massage from the light cruiser. In a stroke of newfound wonder, the carrier was made aware that her girlfriend's immaculate shoulder rubs had been taught by the older maid as with every rub, Enterprise was holding back a moan to say her girlfriend's name.
In a sickly-sweet voice, the light cruiser whispered to her ear that sent shivers down her spine. "Miss Enterprise, do you wish to become a valuable asset to the Belfast foundation? For the sake of Belfast's dream, we must keep going and drain this place for all that it has."
Both the dealer and Enterprise swallowed nervously from how ambitious the glasses-wearing maid appeared.
"B-Belfast foundation...?" There it was again. That elusive set of words teased her and really made her want to find out the meaning behind those words. It was something that associated with her girlfriend and that alone made her want to devote her entire life to assisting in that prospect. Of course, it fueled her even more that she now had the hint that it was based on some type of dream.
Edinburgh adjusted her glasses and removed herself from the carrier's ear. "Miss Enterprise. I am prepared to release half— no seventy-five percent of my savings from the Belfast foundation to skyrocket the winnings you've won already. Lend me your luck and together, we can make Belfast's future a reality tonight."
Like a speech of the century delivered by an influential person, Edinburgh's words resonated deeply with the carrier. "Belfast's future...? Then there's no holding back."
The dealer recoiled in abject fear. How in the world was this woman holding back in a game of luck?
"Edinburgh, go exchange your money for chips," said Enterprise without looking at her girlfriend's sister, and maintaining her sharp eyes toward the dealer that was standing in the way of Belfast's future.
A rattle of plastic was then heard behind her, and she widened her eyes when the maid dropped a tray full of red poker chips on the green table, they were all rounded to the highest quality of chip that the casino had under its belt, which was the five-hundred dollar chip. "One step ahead, Miss Enterprise."
Enterprise amusingly smiled then she stared at the dealer who suddenly felt like she needed a glass of water.
The dealer urgently latched on to the arm of one of her co-workers that happened to walk by. "G-Get the manager," she whispered fearfully. There was the saying that the house always won, but then the house had never encountered Enterprise and her absurd luck.
(Belfast and Seydlitz)
Amidst the colorful lights, the whirling sounds of energetic slot machines, and excited people, Belfast and Seydlitz found two slots side by side. They joined the chaotic sounds of coins being inserted into the machines followed by the excited and addicting sound of the slot machine spinning.
The light cruiser casually glanced to her side, seeing the battlecruiser getting into the swing of things as she drastically pulled the lever down with just enough restraint to not outright snap it. "Verdammt, that lone cherry ruined it all," she defeatedly cursed in her native tongue, yet still had an easy-going smile.
In another setting, Belfast would have said something against cursing at a delicious cherry, but that was neither here nor there. She looked for an opening to begin her questioning but to her surprise, the opportunity presented itself when Seydlitz gazed at her with a knowing look.
"Edinburgh told me that you would try to get me alone to do something she called 'Belfast's seal of approval.' Is it safe to say that this is it?"
Belfast was caught red-handed yet it made it all too simple. She laughed under her breath. "I guess it is. I have become too predictable for my sister it seems. Then I'll cut to the chase and begin my questioning if that's all right?"
The pink-haired Iron Blood crossed her arms. "Fire away, milady. Your approval is of the utmost importance to me."
Belfast shifted her position on the stool she was on and faced the Iron Blood. "Are you a self-destructive type of woman?" She started with that based on what she had gathered from the Iron Blood so far. It wasn't a stretch to state that as Enterprise followed that same path not too long ago.
Seydlitz avoided her gaze, and her eyes dimmed. "I... try not to be. For Edinburgh's sake, I have been trying to control my anger when it comes to myself as I've been known to get angry with myself—but rarely with others!" She wanted to state that, not wanting to be seen like a quickly ready-to-fire hot head that pushed others away.
There was a warm melancholy feeling that wormed its way into Belfast upon hearing that. Seydlitz's had anger problems relating to herself. It was a classic case of self-deprecation, and she couldn't help but see Enterprise's old self within the battlecruiser.
Smiling softly from remembering the fond memories that brought her and Enterprise to who they were now, she calmly stated her next concern. "You are Iron Blood. While my friend Wales is romantically involved with Eugen, it's recently been revealed that Miss Hood, who is romantically involved with Bismarck, has both accepted that their lovers tend to dabble in dangerous situations all because their command forces them to answer the call for duty. However, I don't see Edinburgh shouldering that burden. She doesn't have the heart to endure seeing someone off on a dangerous mission that the Iron Blood employs."
Seydlitz pulled the lever of her slot machine and allowed the music and spinning movements to help her focus. "Then you underestimate how strong your sister is, milady. I won't deny it. In the short time since I was given this human body, they have asked a lot from me that has put my body on the line. I have done missions that under the Commandant's presence, would never green light with the numbers that the Iron Blood would assign. A good soldier follows orders after all, and it's ultimately all for humanity. However, joining the Commandant's base, meeting your sister, and falling in love with her have tested that duty I have. For better and for worse."
Belfast listened intently and stood intrigued by what she was hearing.
The pink-haired woman gazed at the head maid at the same time the slot machine had given her an unceremonious result of two burning sevens, and another cherry. "Know this. My soul might belong to the Iron Blood, but my heart belongs to your sister. You might think I'm making it out to be some kind of poetic internal struggle, but it isn't. I wish to be more human, and my heart right now is the one that's leading me toward that path."
Belfast knew she was venturing into deep waters, but she cared for her sister's future. While Wales and Hood knew the risks in dating Iron Blood women. Within the blink of an eye, they all could be enemies once again if the governments that they served under deemed it. It would be a major heartbreak all around as virtually every shipgirl in the world always put duty first, which was expected of them. It was only recently that Belfast began to see shades that connected love and duty, it was never black and white anymore. Never simple as it used to be and she wondered now if other shipgirls thought the same and her assessment was flawed—she hoped it was. "Would you ever defect to the Royal Navy? Or will you sit idly by and carry out your orders if you were ever under a battlefield against my sister?"
The head maid had expected the Iron Blood to grow angry or even defensive— to have harsh Iron Blood native swear words verbally cut across her skin, but none of that happened. The possibility of her standing up and storming off was also a likely option; however, it didn't come to pass either.
Seydlitz smiled softly, seeming to accept such a treasonous question that most likely, she had given it some great thought while in her most private moments. "Such a daring question…"
Belfast nodded grimly. She never told anyone this, but Hood, Wales, Illustrious, and herself would get together at least once a week and do a prayer to the holy light that the bonds between factions continued to stay strong. It made sense now that Hood had always joined them as she had secretly been dating Bismark. For the briefest of moments, she wondered if Illustrious had someone close to her heart just like them.
While it was less likely than Iron Blood parting ways, Eagle Union could also part ways with the Royal Navy, leaving Enterprise and her in a less than desirable situation. "I say this because Iron Blood has a habit of playing both sides if they see one side offers the better chance for self-preservation. This is a topic that I'm sure even Hood and Wales have talked about with their significant other at one point. Know that Queen Elizabeth would accept you with open arms."
A frown formed on the battlecruiser's face, and she sighed heavily. "What makes you think that they wouldn't join the side of the Iron Blood if it meant they could be together, milady? I won't sugarcoat it. The Iron Blood does horrible things but if the end justifies the means, and there can be a possible ray of hope for humanity, then the Iron Blood would play with those Sirens.
Belfast had thought of that outcome, but it felt too unreal to accept it. The morals that Wales and Hood carry would conflict with them joining Iron Blood. They were two aside from her that firmly believed in the virtues of being graceful and elegant. The protection of humanity would not be done by being on the Sirens' side. It was the most inelegant thing one could do.
The pink-haired woman could have silently stayed there and watched the endless loop that she forced the maid in as no matter how sure Belfast was that her allies wouldn't defect to Iron Blood, the variable called love was too unpredictable. "I hope defecting never comes to that as all my allies in the Iron Blood are precious to me. But if a division of factions happened..." She paused, her gaze held firmly toward the light cruiser, showing deep anguish. "...then the shock of knowing what is expected of me would make me prone to the attacks of even the greenest of shipgirls. That's not to say that your sister is wet behind the ears. Being defeated, I would have to surrender myself to Edinburgh's custody and become her POW," she finished with a halfhearted attempt to smile. Her ideal future was for all to stay united together just like they had done during her old life before reawakening as a shipgirl.
To stay with Edinburgh and keep the factions together was all she could ever ask in this life. It made everything simple and worry-free to keep their happiness going. And yet, no matter how one sliced it, a division in factions would be heart-wrenching to all the shipgirls that have formed bonds and comradery through their active duty.
Belfast let out a held breath and she held herself from crying after hearing such sweet words. Seydlitz would never betray her homeland officially, but unofficially she would pull her punches and allow herself to be taken in as a prisoner of war. "You would do that?"
She nodded unequivocally. "Leaving Edinburgh is non-negotiable. She means that much to me, and while it might hurt to leave my homeland and friends, it's something I must do… as a woman in love." The soldier in her disagreed but that was okay because, in the inner depths of her mind, she was more than a foot trooper, more than a gear in the machine that was war. She desired the day when she could hold her girlfriend's hand and proclaim her purpose had been fulfilled and that her new purpose in life could finally start. One where her duty was to devote her life to the woman that showed the kindest of souls during her darkest day.
Feeling a bit drunk with love that swirled around her and made her smile pleasantly, she then directed it to the royal and smiled genuinely. "Love... really is a beautiful and cruel thing, don't you agree? The only thing that can overthrow the duty of a soldier, the honor of a knight, and the loyalty of a friend. I stand guiltily and declare that I'm susceptible to all three. And all I can do is selfishly smile." She turned away, hiding a tear that rolled down her nose at how bittersweet it all was, desperately hoping that her love would never have to be weighed by that scale.
Belfast closed her mouth and found herself unable to disagree with those words. It was always a hot topic, duty vs love, honor vs love, loyalty vs love. "Yes, I agree."
The stifling-inducing topic brought the Iron Blood down despite whatever unwavering declarations of love garnered from it. It made her think back to a wonderful time and place with Edinburgh that invoked a word that was hard to translate into english. "Gemütlichkeit! How do you say it in english...? Eh, comfort? no—coziness! We're on this cozy vacation that could rival the ambiance of an Iron Blood beer garden, and here we are talking about grim hypotheticals."
Belfast giggled at the sudden joyful animation from the battlecruiser. "Indeed, you're right, Seydlitz. Why don't you tell me what kind of things you like to do in your downtime?"
The lighter topic of conversation was welcomed and Seydlitz pensively considered her hobbies until her smile appeared from more wonderful memories that also involved Edinburgh. "I'm very fond of horseback riding. The sensation of galloping through a grassy field with the wind hitting your face is unrivaled. Even now in this modern time of fast cars and stylish motorcycles, the classic feel of galloping with a noble steed is just... timeless. I would have loved to traverse the desert with a horse, but Edinburgh said that she would have gotten the sunburn of the lifetime."
The head maid let out a loud giggle that infectiously made the Iron Blood smile. "Horseback riding sounds absolutely lovely. I should get you to show Enterprise how it's done," she said while emoting a light clapping of her hands.
The two continued to talk and Belfast had concluded this. While Seydlitz wasn't a maid, she was still one who invoked a noble aura. Sure, she didn't exude traditional elegance and grace, but just like Enterprise, she had her own honorable charm with a noble side to her. From their talking, she was a woman who was perfectly balanced in the ways of love and duty. The hope that that duty and love would never be disturbed was something that they all shared.
Seydlitz was one of the good ones, and Belfast wouldn't mind the day she would have to acknowledge her as her sister-in-law if love continued to bloom.
(Sometime later)
Edinburgh girlishly screamed joyously much to the dealer's heartache and her manager who looked pale as a ghost. What they were seeing, and the source of Edinburgh's outrageous joy was Enterprise who was... in a very grandiose manner of description, was surrounded by multicolor casino chips that were palace high. Even the small crowd that had once been such had accumulated into a massive surveying sea of people that were equally rooting for the silver-haired luck goddess.
"So... I think I'm ready to cash out," smiled Enterprise with a self-satisfying smug face that she seldomly did. Of course, who wouldn't from the image in her mind's eye seeing Belfast's reaction to accomplishing the goal of the Belfast foundation, even if she didn't know what that was.
The manager wiped the sweat from his bald head and knew he was in a rock and a hard place. Through charismatic words, they could defuse the situation and declare that she only won a smaller amount but with so much attention that the table had garnered, he needed to have this woman take her victory. "Yes… I think cashing out is appropriate. However…"
Both Enterprise and Edinburgh narrowed their eyes at the manager and what he said.
A few minutes later, Belfast and Seydlitz were heading out of the slots area with a modest bag of coins from their endeavors. That was when they both stopped and gazed in the distance to see their girlfriends walking toward them.
Enterprise brightened when she laid eyes on her girlfriend, yet both shipgirls were still stuck on what the clumsy maid was carrying.
They weren't the only ones as casino guests were awestruck at the massive tower of poker chip trays that wobbled uneasily from side to side.
Enterprise canceled her funny waving that appeared so due to her mitten hands and acknowledged her companion. "Are you sure you don't want me to carry some?" She insisted with the same bandaged hands that began to reach toward the stacks of trays in preparation. Just the thought of the maid tripping and spilling all the chips was a rather tiresome and taxing scenario.
"Nah! This is the collective wealth of the Belfast foundation in the palm of my hands. I want to savor this like a luxurious brewed tea before we cash them in—also your hands are still injured." She hammered in that final statement, making Enterprise grunt in disapproval.
"So?! I can still do things. Like catching a baseball and holding poker chip trays. I bet I can even arm wrestle if I wanted to," she desperately declared sounding like the rambling of a mad woman.
Seydlitz was the first to reach them with her blue eyes still wide as saucers. "Milady! Enterprise, why aren't you helping her?"
Enterprise jolted from the disapproving tone of the Iron Blood, and she completely looked utterly baffled. "I just asked her! I'm not that handless despite these mitten hands!" She comedically cried.
The tower of casino chips then began to speak, or more like the shipgirl, behind a potential candidate to be one of the seven wonders of the world, began to speak. "Seyz, I told her to not help me... Kyaa!" Everyone had seen it coming a mile away and Edinburgh unsurprisingly tripped over her own feet. The tower of chips leaned forward, ready to scatter everywhere in a show of colorful rain once they hit the hard red carpeting of the casino floor.
Both Enterprise and Seydlitz were already in action as they portioned the stacked trays at the last conceivable second between each other until the lovable clumsy maid had only one tray of chips. It was then that Belfast held her sister from falling along with the singular tray of chips she still had.
"Aww, well... thanks," despondently moused Edinburgh, detaching herself from her younger sister who was slowly processing all the chips that invaded her eyesight.
"See, I'm not that destitute," declared Enterprise since her reaction time was still impressive.
Belfast stepped closer and her mouth was hanging from seeing the haul of chips. "Ent-Ent... Edin... how did you all get this much in such little time?"
Her older sister grinned innocently and adjusted her glasses. "Miss Luck E over here had the goddess of luck on her side, turning that roulette game into a money maker."
Enterprise blushed nervously yet her smile was permanently stuck to her face. "It was you exchanging such a large amount that got us that boost to double are winnings."
Belfast closed her mouth and stared at her sister. "Large amount? Did you use... the funds?" She asked in a held breath that her older sister had taken such a large gamble.
Edinburgh stood silent then she smiled warmly at her sister. "I bet high along with Enterprise, and now... the Belfast foundation has reached its goal, all thanks to the support of the Enterprise Foundation!"
Belfast's face could only be described as a kid having the perfect Christmas. It was full of wonder and a seemingly endless amount of happiness. "A-Are you kidding me?!" She excitedly questioned while looking to hug them both. "H-How did the casino even allow you both to walk away with that much?"
In a synchronized manner, both Enterprise and Edinburgh blushed embarrassingly. "Well… we kinda promised that we wouldn't set foot on the casino grounds for the rest of our stay here," said the glasses-wearing maid.
Seydlitz looked thunderous from hearing that. "What?! Milady did nothing wrong to warrant them banning her from the casino. I'm going to give whoever said that a piece of my mind. They are nothing but sore losers if it's going to be that way."
Her girlfriend dispelled her rage by snuggling closer to her since she couldn't outright give her a hug of the fact that they were carrying poker chips. "Darling, it's okay. From what we won from the casino, I'm pretty much retired from the gold-chasing game. Don't you think that we can use our gambling time for other activities...?" She was so close that Seydlitz could feel her girlfriend's breath tickling her neck.
"L-like what?" Asked the pink-haired Iron Blood, her rage completely dissolved.
Edinburgh grinned innocently and pulled back, much to her girlfriend's disapproval. "Like... going to the buffet. I'm starving after winning big." Her playful energy redirected the unspoken tone that the pink-haired woman thought she had sense.
Enterprise beamed at the idea. "Count me in. I could use some food after being on the edge of my seat for the last hour. I hope they have chicken wings."
Thinking not too deeply about what entered her mind, the older sister smiled innocently. "Hey, now that you mentioned it. This place has its own style of wings called eagle wings. Doesn't that sound right up your alley?"
Belfast caught it the quickest and froze in petrified disbelief. Her eyes darted to her girlfriend, and she could abundantly see the silver-haired woman's face completely painted with dread and fright.
Enterprise tried to smile yet it crashed into a shaky and forced smile. "W-What? I hope that's just a cute play on words!"
It had indeed been just that and not some weird and forbidden cuisine that would have had Enterprise playing cop to the entirety of the kitchen staff. In fact, the only uniqueness to the wings was that they were sauced using Eagle Lux's homemade sauce, a kind of strange barbecue, bourbon, honey, and garlic pepper blend that was surprisingly exquisite.
All four ate, laughed, and chatted up a storm for the next hour. Both sisters made their way to the ice cream table after having their fill of seafood, ironically enough, and they each secured a bowl for their significant other as well. With their business near the ice cream table concluded, they turned around, and a humorous giggle emanated from them when they fixed their eyes on their girlfriends who were getting along on a newer level.
By the table booth that all four had taken up, Enterprise was doing something that shocked the head maid. She was arm wrestling with Seydlitz. She immediately worried about Enterprise's wounds on her hands, but the carrier looked composed—or as composed as someone straining their arm to overpower the other could get. Regardless, whatever topic or spur of the moment happened to warrant them engaging in this act was lost on her, but she did know one thing. Enterprise must have been exceedingly comfortable around the battlecruiser to entertain her in showing off her strength so casually.
"Our girls seem to be getting along," joyfully stated the older sister, bringing Belfast back.
The head maid darted her eyes and defeatedly shrugged her shoulders. "Why does that sound like you're talking about daughters rather than significant others?" She lightly smiled at her older sister.
Edinburgh blushed and innocently grinned. "You got me there. Wow, Bel. It's cute to know that you're already thinking about a future like that."
It was now that Belfast grew ambivalent about that bittersweet topic. "Daughters... hey, Edin. Do you ever think about it, too? Having kids, I mean."
Edinburgh remained silent from the genuinely meaningful tone that poured out of her younger sister's question. "I do... but..." She hummed ponderously, expressing how hesitant and unsure she was.
The topic of a shipgirl having kids was widely ambiguous because of the stereotypical idea that all shipgirls were attracted to the same sex, but that in itself, was wrong. There were indeed some shipgirls that preferred the opposite sex, but the wide populace of shipgirls around the world preferred the familiarity of their Kansen kind. A multitude of reasons would arise, but one common one was that being with another Kansen intrinsically felt right as they were in the same boat when it came to issues involving themselves. There was just a bond between Kansen that was hard to overshadow to put it in the simplest of terms.
Sadly, the factual reason that it was ambiguous was that it was barely unexplored waters due to a lack of trying. No willing Kansen wanted to mother a child while their lifestyle invoked danger and death every day. Also, Wisdom cube construction was vastly more efficient that the governments of the world were not readily itching to persuade Kansan to… for lack of better words and to be most direct, spread their legs for their country
However, there was a silver lining on the near horizon. Within the tables among some of the most scientific minds of the world, some have theorized that pregnancy for a Kansen is accomplished via an amalgamation of wisdom cube energy between two Kansen, but in what requirements one needed to accomplish that was still an unknown.
Belfast wearily smiled and closed her eyes. "I wholeheartedly understand, sister. Truthfully, I don't hate that Enterprise and I are both women. They say that gender doesn't matter when it comes to love but... if Enterprise were a man, then she wouldn't be my love. I fell in love with this version of her, and she doesn't need to change at all. I'm sure she sees it the same way."
"Would you ever consider a doner—in the far future, I mean?"
Belfast's eyebrows furrowed and she dismissively looked away. "It wouldn't sit right with me if we went with the doner route. Whether she's the one that gets pregnant, or I do, it will always be in the back of our minds that our child was conceived by some mysterious or random donor. One of us would feel left out, Edin. Does that make me into a selfish woman?"
Edinburgh clanked the bowls of ice cream that she held together, her way of expressing how nervous she was as she struggled to come up with the right answer. "I don't know... if you both feel that same way then there isn't any guilt, I think. I do know that I'll love that little girl as my own because she will be. I would be the one to raise her and teach her all about the world, and what's right and what's wrong," she said with an unchallengeable smile afterward.
Belfast had more to say and continued. "I think adopting would be the best and nobler route but... I don't think I have the strength to watch my child continue to grow while Enterprise and I stay the same." That was one of the fundamental reasons that Kansen preferred each other. Now, they were in no way immortal. They could be killed but if left undisturbed, their lifespan could potentially far exceed that of a regular human. Only under specific triggers could a shipgirl grow older but if one didn't desire such alterations then they could persist without changing.
She felt a hand rest on her shoulder, and it was Edinburgh who empathetically smiled at her. "I know," she said despondently, trying not to cry as well. It was a sore subject all around for a Kansen that regardless of the desire if they wanted or not wanted to be a mother would still find themselves guilty of having it cross their minds.
Edinburgh only had one thing to say that merely felt like the most logical thing to say and hoped that it could comfort her younger sister. "When the time is right, the answer to that desire will appear. And it will be one that both you and Enterprise will agree upon. For now, you are her world, and she is your world. You both have a responsibility to keep each other afloat."
The head maid gave a grateful courteous bow and bumped shoulders with her older sister, in her attempt to convey a hug as they were both holding bowls of ice cream. "Sister, when did you become so insightful?" She teased with newfound ease.
They both then walked toward the table where the arm-wrestling competition was still ongoing. Among the table, two plates of eagle wings rested along with two mugs of beer that had been refilled a few times.
While Enterprise had been able to drink the beer with both of her hands, Belfast had no problems feeding her girlfriend due to how the mitten-like bandages had been applied.
While the struggle between the two women was going on, Seydlitz's focus was sharp and determine. Her arm strained and wobbled ever so slightly against the strength of the carrier. "Khh... I can do this all night, Enterprise." She boldly declared while relishing the moment that was evident by her strained smile.
Enterprise strained against the strength of the battlecruiser, yet she clicked her tongue when hearing the challenging words that motivated her to keep going. "That's supposed to be my line..."
They both smirked and remained in a stalemate. It was when a hand from each of the sisters rested on top of the two grasping hands.
"Huh?" Both Enterprise and Seydlitz expressed upward eyes when looking at their significant other.
Belfast looked displeased yet smiled shortly after. "Seeing you show such willing bravado is quite adorable, Ent-Ent but let's call it here or you're going to make your wounds worse before they get better."
"Seyz, whether you win or not, this table is going to get split in half from one of you getting their hand smashed against it. Besides, why would you want to do this all night when you could..." She leaned in and whispered something sweet and enticing into the ear of the Iron Blood woman.
The pink-haired woman blushed and yielded just as Enterprise also did.
"Oh well. Let's pick this up the next time when you've healed fully, just so you don't use your injury as an excuse to say that you went easy on me," she stated in no overly bitter way.
Enterprise laughed happily and nodded. "I accept that date, Seydlitz."
Shortly after that, a few floors above the casino floor, the overly happy couple that was Belfast and Enterprise stumbled out of the elevator with their lips wrestling for dominance. Edinburgh and Seydlitz were retreating to their respective room that was one floor higher than the other couple, but they were smart enough to not take the same elevator that had Enterprise stealthily get handsy with Edinburgh's younger sister's backside.
That daring move had been fueled by Enterprise's alcohol level that was finally getting to her, soaking into her mind, and getting her overly playful. "Bel... if we keep doing this, I don't think I'll be able to control myself any further," moaned Enterprise with what little ounce of sober self-control that still swam through her now intoxicated mind.
Belfast mewled erotically when she boldly grabbed her girlfriend's hand and brought it to her left breast, resulting in Enterprise squeezing it roughly. She should have been the bigger person and held her girlfriend back, but she wanted this and the carrier grabbing her butt was the newfound kink that she enjoyed. "There's no need to shy away. This is the city of sin after all," she melodiously moaned as her back finally hit their assigned hotel room number.
Enterprise parted her lips from Belfast and hungrily watched as the maid rummaged through her purse for the key card.
The carrier snatched it with both of her bandaged hands and did the honors of unlocking the door. Then she caught her girlfriend off guard by lifting her bridal style.
Belfast joyfully giggled but that didn't last long when her head hit against the side of the door.
Enterprise's face drained of color, and she partly sobered up. "Oh, shoot. Bel, I'm so sorry about that."
Belfast rubbed her head, and her eyes inspected the wooden doorway of their hotel room that now had cracks appearing on the side where she hit her head. "It's embarrassing to know that I'm rather thick-skulled."
The Eagle Union didn't mean to laugh, but the endearing words of downplaying the situation warmed Enterprise. "We should figure out a better way to get through doorways without having to pay for damages later." She allowed herself to feel bad about the overall situation, but this was LV city where crazy and lovestruck couples would grace the halls of every hotel. She was sure that there was a couple somewhere in this city that was trashing their hotel room without a remorseful thought. Of course, she had no desire to look up in admiration to that type of couple. However, she considered herself human, so might as well let herself go with the flow—to an agreeable degree.
Belfast joined in on the light humor at the same damage they had done in the love room in Haven's Outpost came to mind. Just like Enterprise, she wanted this, and she wasn't going to let a small incident kill the mood.
Making sure this time, they both went through the door without incident.
Now, this room was worlds apart from the motel they had shared the other night. It was bigger, the bed was a non-waterbed, and there was no sleazy sex mirror above them. It had a creamy beige color to it, from the furniture to the lighting that held a warm glow.
Enterprise dropped Belfast on the comfy bed and rested her knees on the sides of the royal's stomach. The white-haired light cruiser gazed at her hungrily and playfully bit her lower lip, enjoying how the carrier was taking charge of the situation.
Enterprise suddenly grew self-conscious of herself despite them seeing each other naked countless times. With unsure movements, she powered through her anxious emotions and dropped her dark blue blazer onto the ground. Slowly, she began to try and clumsily get a firm hold of her thin white blouse but it only raised slightly above her navel. The fabric slipped between her claw-like grasp and she was too drunk to find a better method. Her drunk hand coordination and her mitten hands frustrated her through all the corners of the oceans.
Belfast leaned on her elbows and was enjoying the scene before her. Seeing the obvious struggle due to her girlfriend's heroic action to thwart the Sirens' plans made her jump in to assist. She then got an even better look at her cute Enterprise blushing. They were mere inches now, and the head maid lovingly whispered sweet nothings that only Enterprise had the right of hearing.
She tugged on the white blouse to get her eyes on her and did the honors of finishing up the removal of the blouse from her girlfriend's body. It slowly slid off and hit the forgotten ground, expecting to not see it again until morning. Enterprise stood with her lacy black bra, chosen for the predicted situation that the carrier felt she would be in that night.
Belfast smiled with a throaty moan. She then seductively gave the carrier a longing stare before turning around and pulling her hair away to show the inviting zipper that called to Enterprise. She was about to reach behind herself to pull on the zipper when Enterprise adamantly raised her hand to keep her from completing that action.
There was a fire in the eyes of the carrier that made Belfast want to believe that her girlfriend had the situation under control. Curiosity got the better of her and she silently stared forward to give Enterprise the time to think without having eyes on her.
The silver-haired woman silently inspected her bandages and murmured a string of curses under her breath for her rotten situation. Times like this called for drastic measures. One that she had quickly concluded to be the best method.
Belfast jolted, feeling the head presence of her girlfriend closing behind her. She heard a chomp, followed by the sound of metal connecting with something else. It sounded like… pearls? Teeth? All sounds died off except the sound of the zipper journeying downward, revealing the smooth and supple skin of the light cruiser. Also, the blue lacy bra that perfectly hugged the breasts of the light cruiser was nothing short of sweet eye candy.
Both of their ears rush with blood from both the deafening sound of the zipper and the excitement of it all.
The maid finally glanced behind her and it was Enterprise that had taken the zipper into her mouth and with her teeth, had creatively dragged the zipper all the way down.
The light cruiser made short work of removing her dress and discarded it to join the sea of forgotten clothing. They were both now half-naked. "My… that was very impressive, dear."
The carrier giggled, pretty proud of herself, and softened her gaze with a mischievous smirk. "I still think what you did with that cherry stem in your mouth on our first date took the cake. This was more desperate than creative."
Belfast remembered that night as they had snuck up to the roof of the eagle dorm to gaze at the stars. One thing led to another and they had eaten chocolate-covered cherries with Belfast showing how limber and adaptive her tongue was. It was indeed something unbecoming of a lady, but Belfast felt daring to show that side to her girlfriend. And what a reward she received when the carrier had loosened her tie to help her get some air before that single action led to their first real kiss and not a mere lip-to-lip kiss.
"So modest," was all Belfast said.
A pregnant pause wedged itself between them and anxiety began to rear its ugly head, further evident by how Belfast bit her lip ever so gently, and how Enterprise seemed to be overthinking a lot. Her violet eyes never lie as they darted side to side like someone watching a ping-pong game.
Belfast dropped her arms to the bed and leaned on them while they squished her breasts together. Seeing her girlfriend halt those adorable violet eyes to one single focus point; her breasts, was the sweetest thing for her. With the grace and elegance of a lion, she pounced on the carrier and forced her to relax on the bed, now under her.
Enterprise felt the whiplash and gazed at the head maid above her who continued to give her the softest of smirks. The royal's hair fell to her sides like a curtain and only Enterprise could see how sexy her expression looked. "Enterprise, what's on your mind?" she asked with a held breath, wanting affirmation of what they were about to do.
Enterprise hypnotically raised a hand to the maid's cheek and smiled. "I want you, Bel."
The royal's heart tightened, and she let out a happy breath. Despite the wounded hands, she could feel the warmth through the silk white fabric. There could be no love greater than what lay in front of her, she thought happily. "You're not too drunk? I know that saying that now is going to ruin the moment, but I don't want our first time to be blurred by the alcohol."
Enterprise leaned upward and kissed her tenderly on the lips. "It's nothing but liquid courage for me to do this," she held Belfast's shoulders and tossed their weight opposite until the light cruiser was the one pinned down.
Belfast's heart raced and she anticipatingly waited for what was to come, but all the build-up fortitude couldn't bring her to a state of steadfastness when the silver-haired woman began to kiss downward, starting from her stomach, and going further south.
"Eep!" Surprisingly cried Belfast, knowingly understanding where Enterprise's main goal was. "D-darling…!" Her words were kicked back into her throat when the carrier with utmost precision bit on her dark blue royal knickers and began to slide them off with some help from her right bandaged hand.
"Oh, my... " Whispered Belfast, hand on her face, and cheeks burning like a supernova, her hand had a mind of its own and she helped her girlfriend by lifting her slender legs to further assist in the knickers joining the pile of clothing on the ground. "Enterprise… shouldn't we start small?" She softly asked her, face still bright red.
"Sorry, Bel. My fingers are indisposed at the moment, but that doesn't mean I'm unable to love you in the way I planned. I'm not going to let some Siren doll ruin what I already agreed upon." Her heart was steadfast and fingers or no fingers, she was going to express all the love that her girlfriend was due.
Belfast respectfully nodded and despite her unladylike position, she spread her legs to allow her girlfriend the room to work. "Then… please be thorough, my love."
She had many questions that assaulted her while at the same time Enterprise enjoyed her like an ice cream cone on a hot summer day. Eager and deliciously sweet like nectar and ambrosia from the gods. The maid gripped the silk beige sheets of the bed and staggered between her sharp intakes of breaths, her hypnotic breasts rising and lowering with each assault on her sensitivity. Her whole body vibrated with pure unadulterated pleasure, making her head bury itself deeper into the pillow. The questions she had like how her girlfriend acquired such vast knowledge to be so confident in her enjoyment of her were thrown out the window.
With reckless abandonment, she held the silver locks of her girlfriend firmly and guided her to keep going and enjoy the nectar that the carrier rightfully deserved.
The room grew hot and passionate, and the bed strained from their lovemaking as now and then, one of them would be dropped down hard. It was both tender and rough when the need arose, a blend of the two that sent them spiraling into a crescendo of high pitch moaning. Pure bliss was the simplest way to describe it.
Time skipped and every single article of clothing was already among the sea of forgotten clothing on the ground. The bed springs actively resounded, fueled by Enterprise squirming madly while her back leaned on Belfast's exposed breasts that were the perfect soft pillow that the archer had ever known.
The carrier mewled once again into the air, letting out short and long puffs in an unrhythmic manner. Supple lips from behind closed around the gasping and hotly bothered carrier that was the lips of the royal woman that played her like a guitar.
The kiss revealed its true nature to that of a deep French kiss that Enterprise was more than happy to accept. The carrier whimpered more as the maid's lowered hand continuously worked the sensitive and wet core of the woman Belfast loved with all her being.
The climax was approaching and Enterprise's orgasm was so intense that her scream was practically inaudible. Sweat shined across her forehead and Belfast rewarded her with a nibble on her neck, keeping the orgasming going for as long as she could.
"Love you… I love you so much," weakly gasped Enterprise in a state that no one had ever seen the mighty eagle Union carrier in. This side of Enterprise was for Belfast and only her.
The royal brought the fingers that brought absolute bliss to her girlfriend and seductively licked the sweet nectar of both the warrior and goddess that was her lover.
Enterprise merely watched in fascination, finding herself getting turned on more by the idea that they were now more intimately linked than ever.
Both silently smiled at each other, merely expressing a warmth of closeness and love as they both dropped back down to the bed to bask in the afterglow of their lovemaking.
They both gazed at the ceiling, amusingly laughing that there wasn't an intrusive mirror that would reflect their indecency back like some funhouse mirror.
"That was… world shattering," concluded the royal, finally finding the right words to describe everything.
"You… were universe shattering." Breathily smiled Enterprise, running a hand through her messy silver hair. She rested her head with her hand by leaning on the bed sideways to look at Belfast.
Belfast giggled and brought the carrier in for a loving hug that caught Enterprise off balance. "My beloved. Thank you. You were very loving... very patient... and you thoroughly made my body melt."
"Ditto," sweetly said the carrier. The afterglow of their lovemaking felt like a warm electric blanket that was only meant for two. Light kisses continued onward followed by giggles and tender rubs, telling each other how much they loved each other.
A thought sneaked into Enterprise's mind, and she went with the flow of her heart with maybe a bit of curiosity that lingered. "Hey... you were very playful, could that have anything to do with all the winning your sister and I did today for the Belfast foundation?" She held back a giggle, loving how cute it sounded that it was named after Belfast.
The white-haired maid softened her gaze with a half-smile full of seductive teasing. "Maybe... are you looking for me to tell you what that is all about?"
Enterprise refused to spout the statement that since she was adding a large sum of money to this foundation, then as a big benefactor, she deserved to know the purpose of it all. But she had enough foresight to know that it would result in her being kicked out of the bed. "I mean if you want to. I know that couples keep secrets and that whole no secret thing is only romantic on paper." She wasn't lying. Despite her eagerness to know, she respected and trusted her girlfriend to tell her things that were of the utmost importance.
Belfast lifted her upper body, the bedsheet covering her breasts to keep Enterprise focused on her eyes. "So, you're okay with me keeping secrets?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah. This seems to be something embarrassing for you and if it was something that involved me then I know you would tell me. It's just... I like getting to know new things about you. Like you playing me like a guitar with those dexterous fingers of yours. If I didn't know any better, I would say that my girlfriend had a rock 'n' roll side to her. To throw this out there, you were a pro in all the sexy intimate ways you pulled on my strings."
Belfast wavered and cracked a defenseless smile at the joyous compliment she heard. "You make me blush so much that I'm surprised I haven't gotten a nose bleed like Ark Royal. All right… the Belfast foundation... is what Edinburgh calls her project to save up money for me to construct my own museum one day."
Enterprise comedically pulled back her head and a jubilant stream of giggles poured out. "No way, that's very ambitious."
Belfast blushed and brought her head to the chest of her lover, enjoying her girlfriend's strong heartbeat. "You think so? I feel silly but someone once told me what I would be doing if I wasn't a royal maid. I said that it was impossible as being a maid was my calling. But then, I gave it more thought and I came to realize that I wouldn't mind being an owner of a museum. I like art, history, and humanity's wonderful achievements. Seeing them all in one place like the greatest hits of a music genre feels like a wonderful place to surround myself with." She felt a supportive shoulder rub by Enterprise.
"That's very noble. To create a beacon that displays the wondrous things about humanity is very you. But… It's going to be very expensive, and that's not even considering the land you would need to buy from wherever it might be located."
Belfast hummed in agreement. "Yes, I know that even if I did have it up and running, I would most likely make enough to break even, but I don't care. Queen Elizabeth promised me a lovely plot of dilapidated ruins in one of the districts of the Royal Capital. It will be there for when I'm ready to reshape it into that place that only exists within my dreams. All the money you and my sister made today has rid me of that financial hurdle.
"So... what's standing in the way?" Asked Enterprise with concern, feeling like she already knew half of the reason.
"The Sirens, my duty as a maid, my duty as a protector of humanity, and you." Belfast turned her head upward to properly inspect the reaction from the carrier.
"Me?"
The head maid flashed her a warm smile and pulled back her disheveled white hair behind her ear, helping to dispel Enterpris's delusional worries. "I mean it in no ill way my love. I love you so much and I know my place is by your side."
That didn't inspire happiness in Enterprise's heart as it should. She couldn't help but feel like an anchor that was pulling Belfast deeper into a dark abyss. "Still... it doesn't make me any less sad. I don't want to feel like I'm the one holding you back."
Belfast stood shocked with her mouth open. "You're not. There are still so many hurdles to get through, especially the Sirens. My place is with my allies and the sea... with you."
Enterprise hugged her. Her girlfriend had been there for her whenever she needed her, and there wasn't a day that went by in which she ever regretted meeting the head maid. "Bel, I want your dream to come true."
"Ent..." The love exuding from the silver-haired woman was palpable and she truly felt happy to have confirmation of how deeply she loved her.
"I never had a good future or a good dream waiting for me at the end of all this until I met you. Now, my dream is seeing your dream take roots, Bel. So, I'm going to make this vow. The day the Sirens are fully eradicated; you and I will retire."
The head maid gasped and was spellbound by what she heard. They would retire and live a noble and honest life as humans, something that she had deeply thought about as well.
Enterprise had more to say and gently touched her lover's cheek. "My place is by your side, too. This is a two-partner dance, Bel."
"But... It's going to be in the Royal Capital." She wasn't a selfish woman. She had never once brought the subject to persuade the Eagle Union carrier to forego her country for her. In turn, Enterprise had also never persuaded Belfast to forego her country that she loved just as equally as she did for Enterprise.
The archer smiled, having no compunctions in her heart in declaring a future where she would be living in the Royal Capital with Belfast once they were no longer needed. "Hornet is a big girl, and it's not like she can't visit and vice versa. The same with Yorktown. Both will understand. I once thought that the Eagle Union owned me but that's not true, I belong to you of my own volition. That earned her a steamy kiss that explored every inch of her mouth. Along the line of the kiss, the carrier felt tears hit her cheeks from the maid.
Belfast pulled back and she was grinning with a teary look of joy. "Darling... to make such a drastic transition for me... I'm so happy."
Enterprise felt warm all over. "It's you and me, Bel. Always. Sure, I'll miss the Eagle Union way of life and the bread might taste different across the pond, but I'll adjust."
She was making light of the situation and Belfast was all the most grateful that she had such a wonderful girlfriend by her side.
I had originally planned to have this story be around 3 to 4k words but boy… that ship has sailed. Regardless, it was nice making this one and I wanted to dive into Belfast's real world reference of her being remade into a museum as it inspired me. Anyway, I don't have much to say on this one, and I hope you all enjoyed this story!
