I'm running all of this through Grammarly to ensure my writing is good enough. Pretty surprised at the two favorites and three follows. Thanks, guys, I appreciate you for liking this.
A gentle nudge and the smell of fresh coffee replaced the irritating sound of his alarm.
"Master… Master."
Judging by the title, it was obviously one of the Royal maids. Though it was strange because he was usually awake before them. His date with Roon may have taken a lot out of himself. Karl rises and looks over to his clock to see the time.
"0600?" He says aloud. "I usually get up at 0400."
Looking over to the maid in question, it was the ever-insecure Dido with her doll on her belt. The cute maid appeared visibly uncomfortable and tried to hide her face behind her hands. The coffee was on the nightstand, along with a croissant on a small plate. "Good morning, Master. Ms. Belfast instructed me to let you sleep in, Master." Dido replies, curtseying as she addresses him. "As your personal maid, I wished to accompany you today to your brunch with our majesty and her esteem subjects of the Royal Navy."
Karl rubbed the sand out of his eyes and took a drink of coffee. "Ah, so it's Thursday's brunch. I nearly forgot about that. Now I know why I was doing double paperwork yesterday."
"Ms. Dido," Belfast says from the doorway. "Is our Master awake?"
"I am Ms. Belfast," Karl replies for her as he pats the bed for Dido to sit next to him as throws the covers off of him. "I'm up and enjoying Ms. Dido's company."
Dido was more than embarrassed by the sight of the Commander in nothing more than his underwear. The fact that he was drinking the coffee and eating the patisserie she bought specifically for him made her heart sing. Belfast appeared and looked over him intensely. He seemed alright from the scare last night. It troubled her to see him scared.
"Master," Belfast began. "Did you sleep well?"
Karl took a bite out of the pasture and took a sip of coffee. He thought for a moment as he swallowed a delicious piece. "I slept well, actually. I don't know how I got here, to be honest." Karl says frankly.
"You brought yourself here. Though you appeared to be startled by something on your return." Belfast replied as she looked at Dido's red face as she sat next to the Commander. "Sheffy and I found you on the floor. You had your pistol out as well. I wasn't aware you carried a pistol."
He pauses momentarily as he tries to recall the last night. The images of Roon seducing him combined with the storm, made him question whether or not the lady of the storm was her or not. But he wasn't sure why the Iron Blood heavy cruiser would have been in burned clothes. Did she hurt herself?
"Something did…" Karl replies honestly as he finishes the croissant. "Though I'm not sure what it was. Though I remember Sheffy being rather annoyed at the fact that I smelled of Iron Blood. Not to mention something jumped me last night. That's why I took out my gun. I carry just in case I need it, regardless of if I'm in theater or in port."
"Did someone try to harm you, my honorable Master?!" Dido interjects with fear and anger.
"You did spend time with Ms. Roon." Belfast lamented, and Dido grew visibly more worried.
"She did try to get frisky. But I didn't go as far as a hug." Karl replies, giving out a white lie to ease Dido. "Though I couldn't turn down a meal from her. It would have been rude."
The two maids smiled at his politeness. Though Dido began to wonder what she could do for her Master. She could cook for him as well. Then he surely would not abandon her.
"Master," Belfast begins, "Please excuse my comments, but Ms. Roon is known for being rather possessive."
"And violent," Dido adds.
"What happened exactly?" Belfast enquires as Karl stands up.
"Master," Dido interrupts him. "What would you like to wear? I, your personal maid, will fetch them for you."
Karl was instead taken by surprise as the short maid stood in front of him. He was more than able to get his own clothing, but, knowing Dido's personality, he figured he better play along. Belfast nodded and smiled, nudging him to continue. "Ummm," He begins as he looks around. "I guess I better wear a dress uniform if I'm meeting the Queen and her court."
Belfast nods, "Excellent choice, Master."
Dido moves to his closet and retrieves a tuxedo bag and a shiny pair of combat boots. She hung the bag on the door of the closet and unzipped it, revealing an olive-drab uniform dress uniform.
"Shall I prepare the shower for you as well, Master?" Dido asks him.
"If you will, yes." Karl approves.
"I shall! I'll prepare your shaving kit as well!" Dido says happily.
As the AA cruiser moves to the bathroom, he shares looks with Belfast. Mostly a series of glances and eye-rolling, talking indirectly about Dido's enthusiasm for him. The head maid sits next to her Master and whispers, "I'm sure she told you, but I instructed Dido to be your personal maid today. I'll have to serve the Queen personally. But please be kind to Ms. Dido."
"She's a cinnamon roll," Karl says with a smile. "She'll be right by my side."
"She means well," Belfast tells him. "Just a bit clumsy like her sister."
He took a drink of coffee and smiled, "I'll be watching her."
"Do remember when you meet the Queen to be on your best behavior." Belfast insists to him. "She is an acquired taste, but she means well."
"A lot of you girls are an acquired taste." Karl counters. "But I will be sure to be on my best behavior and show my presence."
Belfast smiles, picking up on the latter portion of the conversation. "Is that why you went on a date with Roon?" She asked innocently.
"I'll get to know the girls more over time." He replies, putting his hand on her thigh. "Just give me some time to open up more."
She could feel the anxiety in his voice as he showed some vulnerability. "If I did anything that upset you, I apologize," Karl says to her.
"You drew your gun," Belfast says quietly and concerned. "What did you see that scared you to the point you drew a gun?"
The troubled look from last night returned. His eyes turned ghostly as she saw him trying his hardest to remember. Karl tried to speak twice but simply couldn't put it into words. The shower cut on, and the sounds of his shaving kit tapped against the bathroom countertop. "A ghost." He says briefly as Dido rounds the corner.
"Master, your shower is ready," Dido says to him with a soapy wash rag. "I'm ready to wash your back at your request."
Raising his brow, he looks at her questionably, "You don't have to do that, Dido. I can wash my own back."
"A maid must be dedicated to her honorable Master!" Dido insists.
Belfast smiles and gets up to grab his coffee cup and finished plate. "That is right, Ms. Dido. As the Master's personal maid, you are expected to give everything to the Master. I will return with more coffee and another pastry before I leave to tend to the Queen."
He looked at Belfast with a smirk, "The Royal maids are a dedicated bunch. I'll never get used to this, But I appreciate your work."
"There is no need to thank a maid for her service to her Master." Belfast insists.
"I wasn't thanking my maids," Karl says to her firmly. "I'm thanking those who care for me."
Belfast and Dido both smile brightly. "Thank you, Master." They both say in unison.
"To the shower then, Dido." He says as Belfast leaves the room. Dido's unwavering commitment to her Master was as strong as the shade of red on her face. Karl, being considerate, covered himself with the shower curtain as he took off his drawers before stepping in. He put them in a hamper just outside the door to his bathroom. Dido dutifully stood outside waiting for her Master's call while restraining herself from going to the hamper to sniff his draws.
Under the hot water, his thoughts revolved around the figure that assaulted him last night. The figure was in burned clothing, which could be explained by her entrance through the storm. But everything else was hidden either by the storm or his drunken state at the time.
He squeezed the bottle of shampoo into his hair and scrubbed his hair. The feeling of hot water against his skin was a luxury as he recalled a 'whores bath,' cleaning himself with wet wipes or with canteen water and homemade soap.
"Hot water is amazing." He remarks aloud to himself.
Dido jumps and drops the underwear on the floor. "What about the hot water master?!" She says worriedly.
"I'm just saying it feels amazing," Karl replies. "I've only had reliable hot water for my time here at the port."
"You didn't have hot water at your last port?" She asked as she moved back into the bathroom. "How is that?"
"It wasn't a port." He replied as he washed the soap from his hair. "Can you hand me the face wash, please?"
Dido turns and grabs the face wash to hand to him. "It was a base, more like a forward operating base or a shanty town, depending on who you ask. Spartan at best, abysmal at worst."
"Did your maids have trouble with the accommodations?" Dido asks innocently, not aware of what he truly meant by spartan.
"We didn't have anything like that at all." He told her. "No running water except in the major cities, but those were hundreds or thousands of kilometers away. Power was uncommon unless we had generators, but we saved the fuel for vehicles and tanks. Even coffee was made in canteen cups."
"I couldn't imagine not having an honorable Master to serve," Dido said worryingly as she tried to imagine this strange world he briefly spoke of. "Master?"
"Yes, Dido?" He replied.
"Would you abandon me?" She asked, taking him aback as he washed his chest.
He popped his head out from behind the shower curtain with a troubled look to see Dido holding her doll in her hands. "Look at me." He says to her with a sweet voice mixed with tough love. "I don't leave anyone behind. Not you, your sister, your comrades, and no one else."
With dramatic flair, he points at her, "Never. You girls never forget that."
Dido giggles happily at the dramatic and endearing display. "I won't, my honorable master!"
The happy maid stood up and grabbed her soapy wash rage from the sink. "May I wash your back, Master?" She asks innocently.
"Sure," Karl replies as Dido falls forward and through the curtain for him to catch her.
This seemed to be an omen for the rest of the day for him and his personal maid….
Hours later, at the Royal Navy Port HQ….
The personal maid fixed his tie and straightened his awards. The Commander smiles at the nervous Dido as she tries at every moment to pay absolute attention to every detail of her movements.
"You know I forgave you as soon as you fell." He teased her lightly.
"I didn't mean to master." Dido apologizes, holding back tears.
"You are too hard on yourself, sweetie," Karl tells her. The endearing term touched her heart and made her blush. She takes out his matching field cap, a cleaner, and more refined dress variant, and puts it on his head. "Come, let us go see the Queen and her court. But be at my side, not my corner. Understand?"
Dido nods and turns to follow her Master to the courtyard. The gathering was small, with only ten people, five from the Royal Navy, four from Iron Blood, and the Commander. She didn't count herself or the other maids because they were the maids and not guests. Closing in on the gathering, she and the Commander could see a collection of Royal Navy ships in full regalia. Two of the King George V class battleships, Duke of York and Monarch, the carrier Illustrious, Duke of York and Monarch, and the Queen and her aid Warspite. From the Iron Blood were Bismarck, Graf Zeppelin, and Fredrich Der Grosse. The lineup surprises the pair as they only expected the Royal Navy.
"Master," Dido whispers, "Why are Iron Blood capital ships here?"
"I'm not sure." He shrugs. "Just stick with me."
Belfast was the first to spot the Commander as he approached. The head maid alerted the Queen, who waved enthusiastically at him.
As they approached, he could feel the aura of the prototype H-Class battleship calling to him. The blackness of her appearance flashes against his memories of the figure in the storm. Fighting the urge to engage her, he instead focuses on the Queen. Stopping short of her chair, he bows, getting on his right knee and crossing his right arm till his fist covers his heart.
"Commander Karl Erich Dael at your service, The Majesty of Britannia and its colonies, Queen Elizabeth," Karl says confidently as he raises his head to her. The Queen smiles and returns greetings,
"Commander, you may stand." She begins. "Thank you for attending this little get-together, especially with your dedication to the port being all-consuming."
Taking to his feet, he adjusts himself before continuing. "All consuming is putting it lightly, your Majesty, but it must be done. I hope my work has improved the quality of life and increased lethality for the Royal Navy."
"I appreciate the ability to prove my superiority to my sisters on the Gunnery Range, Commander." Monarch says, obviously pointing the comment to the Duke of York.
"While practice is a good sport, Ms. Monarch." Karl begins politely. "I'm sure it will be useful to see where we fail. After all, as we said in my last unit, 'It is better to fail in training than in combat.' I look forward to seeing you in the next lineup."
"Thou speak the truth." Duke of York replies, raising a teacup in approval. "I look forward to adding another pelt to my modest collection, Commander. Please consider me when sending Monarch out to sea as well. I'm sure it shall bring the best out of her."
Monarch adjusts herself in her chair and looks sternly at her vampiric sister. He turned his attention to the Iron Blood members of the table. The exchange of a respectful nod between him and Bismarck was enough to know where he stood with her, as did Graf. Though Friedrich gave a flirtatious wave as she sipped on her tea.
"I'm sure you already know our Iron Blood allies." The Queen begins. "Lord Bismarck, Lead Carrier Graf Zeppelin, and PR representative Fredrich Der Grosse."
"I didn't know there were representatives for the PR series ships," Karl replied as Dido pulled out a chair at the end of the table. Belfast brought a cart with a selection of English dishes of various kinds, along with coffee, tea, and iced water. She knew he'd enjoy a more straightforward meal around this time as he would go to the gym or workshop after completing the paperwork. But this time, he preferred to just have coffee.
"The PR ship should indeed have better representation among the fleet." Monarch replied. "Combat experience should be spread evenly among them, and Data should be collected to improve the fleet as a whole as well."
"Not to mention better control over the PR series advanced rigging," FDG added. "What better a teacher than someone who truly understands your power?"
"Agreed." Monarch says, taking a sip of tea.
"I can see some flaws with that to an extent." Karl remarks as Belfast pours him a cup of coffee. "More so with Sakura Empire's internal conflicts. I assume there is a reason why each of you was selected for your faction's rep? Monarch due to her loyalty and you because of your former position as Iron Blood's leader in Bismarck's absence?"
"Precisely." FDG smiles. "Sakura Empire's PR rep is not a factor. Their culture dictates loyalty to the Sakura itself. If you wish to speak to their current leader at the port, Musashi, we can have a teatime together, my child."
"I see," Karl replies, sipping on his coffee. "Maybe if the time is right. I'd like to know more about the PR series of rigging vs. the standard Kansen. Not to mention speaking with the Sakura Empire more. I've only spoken, at length, with Eagle Union and Royal Navy ships minus Roon from Iron Blood."
"Well, thankfully, you aren't stuck in that stuffy office to be with the Queen herself!" The Queen interjects happily from the head of the table. "Now on to business."
Warspite produced a letter from a leather bag, "On the recommendation of the Queen; The Royal Navy and Iron Blood are to join together to celebrate the anniversary of our cooperation following the Scapa Flow innocent. It is an honor to have our esteemed guests from the Iron Blood joining us today in this celebration along with our new Commander."
As Warspite spoke, Dido, Belfast, and the other maid began handing out and filling champagne glasses. The 'War Corgi,' as he affectionately nicknamed her, spoke more of the former relationship of the two factions in the first great war, an event both she and the Queen remembered quite well, being veterans of the Great War. Karl looked upon the Iron Blood to read the mood. He saw Bismarck displaying a proud and relieved expression, expected of the Fleet Leader who led her country alive and from the grave. The carrier Graf Zeppelin could care little of such matters as she would instead be burning the world in a sea fire. Still, he supposed by her Monalisa smile she appreciated that there were people in this world she did enjoy calling her allies.
Leaving Fredrich Der Grosse, whose sights lay somewhere between Dido and himself with an expression of a predator teasing her prey.
When Warspite finished, it signaled for the Queen to raise her glass. "A toast to another era of cooperation between our nations under the banner of Azur Lane!"
"To Azur Lane and the Queen!" The Royal Navy ships replied.
"To Azur Lane and Our Allies. Prost!" Bismarck announces, followed by the others.
"To Azur Lane." The Commander announces.
The group toasts together and finishes their celebration drink. The maids quickly picked up the glasses once completed, allowing everyone to exchange more pleasantries. To his surprise, it went rather well between the faction heads, Bismarck and Queen Elizabeth. The King George V classes continued to take a friendly jab at one another. At the same time, the two carriers spoke about their two 'Little Sisters,' Unicorn and Z46. But the H-Class Battleship only sat there with her tea.
Fredrich Der Grosse sipped her tea gently and peered at the Commander across from her. Her gaze pierced through his soul, and there it lay naked beneath her. The eye of the woman whom he named 'The Terror' for her striking appearance and eerie demeanor felt like he was being strangled by the shadows around him. Karl kept his composure to continue listening to the Queen as she spoke about the Royal Navy's hand during Operation Siren.
Though her voice began to slowly change until it became absolute silence. Members of her court and her close aid began to speak with the rest of the Iron Blood contingent, but only the mouthing of words could be seen. But nothing, not even breaths, could be heard. Nothing but the light rhythmic tapping of a finger against the oak table. Karl tried to speak, but his mouth felt wired shut.
"What is this?" He asks himself as he tries moving his arms and legs.
"You've shed blood." A haunting voice says to him in a whisper. "I can smell it on you."
This seemed to have come from the pink-haired vampiric battleship, Duke of York, as she lit up in a blue aura before returning to normal.
"A commoner who rose to the officer class?" Another voice echoed, this time from the Queen. "Popper. Nothing more than a toy soldier."
"Who brought a villager to take the position of Kommendant? Pathetic." Bismarck's voice, oozing disgust with every word.
"I wonder if these are their thoughts or your own interpretations of their perception of you?" The unmistakable voice of FDG says from across the table. "My dear child, only if you really knew."
"How are you doing this?" Karl demands. "Veil? Cognito hazard? Drugs? Am I even at this port?"
"I'm rather," Friedrich begins in a whisper. "Special. It seems you are too with those dramatic conclusions."
"You have to be to have me like this," Karl growls as he tries to move his body.
"I don't have to do anything, My dear child," Friedrich admits as the world turns black around them. "All you have to do is just let yourself go, and it will all go away. Just like the Black Sea, correct?"
The darkness began to swallow his boots. A cold feeling began to race up from his feet like he was slowly dipping into arctic waters.
"Cold, isn't it, Major?" FDG asks him as Karl begins to turn pale. "It was cold there. So dreadfully cold. Reminds you of Niflheim, yes?"
"Fuck you," Karl growls as his arms begin to freeze. "I'll take you with me; I'll show you bleakness not known by any of you. You'll rue that name as much as I do."
He felt his arms budge, launching himself out of the chair to strangle Friedrich. But instead, he threw himself right into the inky blackness below as a ghostly laugh echoed deafeningly around him.
Throwing himself up from his bed, he rolled off the bed and hit the floor harshly. Covered in sweat and breathing heavily, he ran his hands all over himself to check whether he was awake. Running to the bathroom, he splashes water over his face to shock himself to know for sure he is in reality. "Fucking hell…. Fucking hell…" He cursed, breathing heavily as his heart pounded in his chest. "The hell was that for?.."
The sound of maid shoes against the floor signaled that he wasn't alone. Entering the room was his personal maid, Dido, with an expression of pure confidence and conviction with a sword in hand.
"Master!" She says. "I've come to defend you against whoever dared to harm you! I came as soon as I heard you!"
"Dido!" He shouts, remembering his Personal Maid from his dream. "What time is it? What day is it? Where am I?!"
"You are in your quarters, Master." She tells him honestly. The maid then looks at the alarm clock on his nightstand. "It's 0330. You've only been asleep for an hour since you returned from the Iron Blood dorm."
"You mean… I didn't go to see the Queen?" Karl says chillingly.
"The Queen is leaving for a meeting this morning to Britannia along with Sheffield, Warspite, and members of her court of Knights," Dido informs him as she puts her sword down. "Why, Master?"
He held his chest to his heart, expecting it to jump out. The hardened Commander sits on the closed toilet as he begins to slow down. Dido rushes to him, fearful of what is going on. Not sure what was happening, the maid checked his temperature and, oddly, his pulse. She looked into his green eyes to see him in what she assumed was a state of shock or fear.
"Master?" Dido asks him as he looks around the room franticly with his eyes. "What happened? Did someone attack you?!"
Karl found nothing in the room and took a deep breath. Holding it in for a moment, he let it out slowly to calm down. "No… No…" He says, exasperated. "Just…. Just a nightmare… An awful nightmare. Did Belfast tell you your standing orders today that you would accompany me as my personal maid today?"
She smiles and nods. Her eyes lit up brightly when the Commander acknowledged her status as his self-proclaimed personal maid.
"In my dream, Belfast tells you to be," Karl says to her. "Crazy how that works. I'm glad you are, though."
Dido reacts in a way he wasn't expecting; she hugs him. "Thank you, my wonderful Master! I'm sorry you had a terrible dream." She says, giving a cute sound as she hugs him. "Can I get you some tea to ease your mind?"
A rumble fills the room, and Karl looks at his stomach. Embarrassed, he smiles at Dido as he gets back up to look at himself in the mirror. Rubbing his hand through his salt and pepper hair, he looks over himself. The triggering dreams did shake him in a way to make such a commotion to bring in a sword-wielding Dido. His stomach roared again, and a lightheaded feeling began to fill his head.
"I might need to eat." He says bluntly. "I think I'll cook us some breakfast."
"Master…" Dido begins in a gloomy tone. "As your personal maid, I shall take care of any command and service you wish."
"It's almost dawn, and really, you came in here to save me against anything from the Sirens to the boogeyman. As your Master, I request that I make you breakfast to repay you for coming to my aid." Karl replies, taking jest in his situation. "And it would make me happy."
Dido couldn't resist the order and tried to control her smile reluctantly. "Anything for you, My honorable Master." She replies happily.
"Wonderful," Karl says with a smile. "I'll put on pants, and we'll go to the kitchen. Who's all left from the Maid Corps?"
"Little Belfast, Edinburgh, Sirius, and I," Dido replies, wondering why he was asking. Mainly she was worried about if he would abandon her for one of them.
"Perfect," Karl replies, putting on his gym clothes, grey track pants, and an A-shirt. "Shouldn't they be up in about an hour or so? We should make them some food as well. I'm feeling something basic but rather good. How do eggs, sausage, and biscuits sound? American biscuits, mind you."
"Anything you wish, Master," Dido says with magic in her eyes. "They should be up at 5 o'clock sharp."
Once he got dressed, the two walked to the kitchen downstairs. Karl asked Dido to make a coffee pot because he simply couldn't function without it. Once the coffee machine was working away, he then retrieved two pans for the proteins.
"You make eggs before?" He asks her, assuming he asked a stupid question.
Dido nodded and grabbed another bowl to beat the eggs in. "No, We're going to make them in the pan. No use in wasting that bowl."
"Ah!" Dido says, grabbing the eggs from the refrigerator.
"Butter too." He says as the coffee machine bubbles behind him. "And the sausage."
She grabs everything he asked for and sets them on the counter beside Karl. He butters the pan first and, once complete, begins cracking eggs into the pan. "Eggs were another luxury." He starts as he throws the shells away into the trash. "The population usually took their livestock with them when evacuating their villages. When they would stay, some of them would give us eggs. We learned our lesson, well, not my Company, more like the unit, after some of the guys were poisoned from spiked milk or rat poison in the food. So when we had to live off the land, we would just take the eggs. Everything else we did ourselves, from milking the cows, butchering game, and making bread."
"That sounds like a lot of work for the maids," Dido replies innocently as he stirs the eggs in the pan. "I don't know how to milk a cow."
The maid began making the biscuits and mixed the contents in the bowl. She couldn't imagine doing farm work like that on top of cleaning everything. The maids were on a tight schedule, but to do that, plus fighting sirens? Crazy. But if it were for her Master, then she would try.
"We didn't have maids," Karl replies. "It was just us soldiers. We'd take turns doing it. Some people bitched about it, don't get me wrong. But I made it a policy that you didn't eat unless you contributed to prepping the food. We lived like we were on the frontier; we even called it that. Sometimes it felt like we were barbarians, and other days it felt like we were pioneers on the American frontier or Mongols on the wild steppe. Then higher began trying to be more proactive with shit food, like eggs from a plastic bag and bad rations."
"Eggs from a bag?" Dido cringes as she sets the biscuits on the tray and then puts them in the oven.
"Yeah," Karl says as the pan heats up. "We ate better living rough. But it wasn't frequent. Times were rough. Come over here; I'll show you how to cook like this."
Dido was pulled over by him and handed the spatula. "Move them around a bit. Just enough to keep them from backing into the pan. You don't need to add anything till later; the troops- I mean the guests will do that with whatever they got. The taste comes from butter or the pan, depending on what pan or thing you have to use in the pan."
She gently moved the eggs around, trying not to break the yokes. But Karl had other ideas and gently put his hand over hers. "You must be rough with them. We are scrambling the eggs, not frying them. It allows the butter to mix in and gets everything cooked."
Her heart raced as she felt him against her body. The Commander was rough and tough, yet so gentle with her as they cooked. His eyes seemed to calm down as he spoke of his past life and cooks. In her mind, she imagined this moment lasting beyond this, and she drifted into thinking of more dirty thoughts.
Dido looked at his eggs with surprise. They were fluffy and beautiful, vs. the burned eggs her sister made. He took out some plates and laid them out for her to portion them out. "When the oven beeps' I'll take out the biscuits. In the meantime, I'll make the sausage."
"Yes, Master," Dido says, grabbing a coffee cup from the cabinet. "I'll pour your coffee."
"It's strange to see you making breakfast while I watch." Dido remarks as he portions out the sausage in the pan. "Our other Master was never seen in the kitchen."
"I can imagine." Karl agrees as the oven beeps. "Biscuits are done."
"She was a nice woman," Dido recalls as she pours him a cup of black coffee. "Full of life and enjoyed being with us."
"While that must have been nice." Karl remarks as Dido hands him his coffee. "She didn't bother doing anything around the port. What did she even do around the port? Roon said something about worrying about friendship than war?"
"May this Maid speak freely?" Dido asks him innocently.
"I allow it," Karl replies.
"What may come from this maid may seem… Inappropriate, Master." Dido begins with a huff. "The Madam Commander was close to us and took good care of us. She did her best and led us, well, I would say? This maid is not well versed in fighting terms and words, but I'm a force to be reckoned with, so says some of the members of the Sakura Empire."
"Really?" Karl asks, interested in her claim. "Who said that? The Sakura Empire girls are hard to impress in combat."
"Takeo and Atago." She replies with a smile. "They complimented by swordsmanship vs. the Sirens during Operation Siren II. Takeo is the best swordswoman in the port, and Atago is pretty good too, but she can be intense in battle when she puts her mind to it."
'I am YOUR BLADE! I will not abandon you!'
'Death or Dishonor. I'll die with honor before I leave you; Big sister will protect you."
"How long did you work with them?" Karl continued as the sausage patties cooked in the pan. Trying to ignore the echoing words in his mind.
"A few months before, my sister, Sirus, and I were transferred to Gibraltar for convoy escort duties," Dido says as she pours her coffee. Unlike the Commander, she added milk and sugar to sweeten it. "They were a pleasure to work with, and a god sent to fight with. After my transfer, I didn't see them again. The other Commander placed them with Battle Group Amagi in the SA Ocean for counter-siren operations there."
"Battle Group Amagi?" He asks, turning with a raised brow. "Isn't she sick? I wouldn't think she would be deployed in combat?"
"Lady Amagi led the Battle Group in a command position at the Commander's wish," Dido replied. "Her little sister and one of the rabbit girls lead the combat operations."
"Rabbit girl?" He asked with some surprise. "They have those?"
'Run, little rabbit, run. I'll catch you on the other side….'
'You idiot. You'll never catch me… Haha…'
Karl took another sip of coffee as he finished the sausage, as a light spiking pain filled his head. It might just be the lack of sleep, or he needed more coffee. Portioning out everything, he could hear maid shoes echoing from the hallway. Little Belfast, Edinburgh, and Sirius rounded the corner with panic. "Oh my gosh, we almost overslept!" Edinburgh panics. "We are so sorry, Head Ma- Commander?! Oh no! Mas-Master, we are so sorry we were "
"Woah, Woah, Woah!" Karl says, raising his hands up to slow them down. "It's y'all wake-up time. You aren't late; I just had a horrible dream Dido saved me from. I made breakfast for yall. Just take a seat, and let's start the day together!"
The panic and embarrassment melted off Edinburgh's face as she looked at the clock to see it was their usual wake-up time of 5AM. Her worry melted off her face, but she did feel bad at waking her compatriots before their usual wake-up.
"I blame my cooking that got you up." Karl apologized. "Now, please sit down. Dido, sweetie, please get these fine maids something to drink. Maybe get some tea ready, too, if that isn't much trouble."
Dido's eyes glimmered like diamonds at the endearing term. She had never heard him say sweet things like that to her before! The happy maid prepares tea and pours the other maids' drinks. Handing the glasses out to the girls, Karl handed out the plates. The girls were rather happy at the simple yet wholly plated meal made for them by their Master. Karl wasn't too keen on Little Belfast being a maid, but it was her purpose.
"Thank you, Master!" The little maid says to him when he sets down her plate.
The term Master coming from her mouth felt dirty, but he played along. Thankfully she wouldn't see combat till she was a teenager or a little older. Child Soldiers are repugnant to him, especially after seeing them in action. But cleaning around a house or doing chores was acceptable to him. He, after all, grew up doing chores and helping around a farm.
Sirius appeared somewhat drowsy and was shaken slightly by her sister Dido. The two maids were unquestionably related with their trademark quirkiness as they bickered a little between each other. He didn't catch much between them, but the sleepy Sirius straightened herself and thanked him. "My apologies, My honorable Master; I was on security detail last night. I'm exhausted, but I must do my duty." Sirius says with a yawn.
He took a seat next to Dido with Edinburgh to his left. "Dig in, everyone. Let's have a good day today." Karl said with a slight yawn as he took a sip of coffee.
They all began to dig in, and a symphony of 'Mhmms' began to fill the room. There wasn't much conversation from the guests at the table as they were either too tired or busy enjoying their food. Karl didn't mind, "If the food is good, there isn't much conversation. At least that's what my grandmother would say." He recalls telling one of his soldiers many years ago.
Dido enjoyed the simple meal. The buttery eggs, the maple sausage, and the flaky American biscuits. It was something she had seen the Eagle Union girls make in the canteen at one point or another. Then again, she did notice an odd use of words from her honorable Master. Ya'll, a word made from combining you and all. It was a term she had only heard from Eagle Union girls like Alabama or Nevada along with other strange words. Maybe he was from the Eagle Union or spent time stationed there?
Her mind and hands began to wonder. Dido reached for the butter, only for it to land on Karl's hand. A cheeky smile took over his face, and she snatched her hand back in embarrassment, her face turning slightly red. A strange sensation began to fill her mind as she noticed the Commander's hand touch her free hand again. With some shock, she looks at him to see that he did this deliberately. "Thank you for doing this for me." He tells her.
"But Master," She protests. "I didn't do anything other than watch as you instructed me."
"You…" Karl says, pausing to gather his words and thoughts. He wanted to say more, but his ego began to take over. Though this briefly faded, and he simply said, "Came. You came for me when I needed you. Thank you."
There was more he could have said. Like about some members of the Sakura Empire he needed to see, and for a particular 'Bunny Girl' he needed to find. The memories filled his head of another time, but were they still around? There was all the factor of the black-haired woman who attacked him and Fredrich in his dreams. He had only seen FDG once around the port with some of the destroyers. Being a motherly figure to them to keep them away from Ark Royal, whom he sent out to the Falkland Islands in the SA Ocean to 'Count Rocks' or something. He wasn't a fan of her trying to get 'Fresh' with any of his destroyers. Why was Fredrich in his dreams then? Maybe she was the lady in burned clothes?
"There is no need to thank me, My honorable Master," Dido replies humbly as her face turns red.
"Master?" Bel-Chan asks him, tugging on his A-Shirt. "May I take your plate?"
He noticed the little maid had her own dishes in hand and, unaware of his speed, had finished his meal.
"I'll take the plates, Little Bel." He insists. "I made it, and I'll clean it. But if you wish, will you check on the tea?"
"Yes, Master." The little maid says, handing him the plates. "Everyone else finished?"
The other two nodded, and he took their plates. Dido stood up and took the glasses from the table. The Commander and Dido worked together to clean up their mess as the other maids prepared for morning tea. Edinburgh wasn't keen on the Commander doing any housework. Still, she relented as she realized Dido was assisting him and how happy she looked doing it.
"Master," Edinburgh asks him as Little Bel brings her tea. "What do you have planned for your day off?"
"If I can stay awake, I'm going to go to the workshop and work on some things. Though, I might go to the Sakura Empire dorm to introduce myself to Ms. Amagi. I haven't met anyone else from the Sakura Empire besides Ayanami, who isn't exactly trusting of me." He says with some dismay as he washes dishes. "Though I am to blame for that. I've just been busy with everything around here."
"The Sakura Empire is an interesting collection, to say the least," Edinburgh says grimly. "They have some strong personalities. But there are some good people. Ms. Amagi, Ms. Atago, and some others are good examples. On several occasions, her Majesty enjoyed the company of Ms. Amagi and Ms. Nagato for tea. I would stay away from some of their aircraft carriers, though."
"Which ones?" He inquired.
"Akagi and Kaga for one." She said flatly. "Ms. Taihou is sweet but a tad strange. You might be able to straighten her out. The other four are wonderful, though."
"Taihou…" Karl drifted away for a moment, and a blank expression took his face.
'I won't leave you. I won't! I won't! You aren't going to!'
"Commander?" Little Bel asks, tugging on his pants. "Are you ok?"
He shakes his head and looks back at the little maid, "Yeah… Yeah, just uh, just tired, is all."
"Would you like me to bring you your coffee before we go?" She asks.
"Please." He replies. "Thank you."
"What a gentleman you are." A voice speaks to him. The voice was eerily similar to the voice of Fredrich in his dreams.
He checks his left and right to see who said that. Dido was smiling as she worked away on cleaning the oven top. While Edinburgh was sipping tea with Sirius, Little Bel placed his coffee on the countertop.
Who was that? It wasn't any of the English… Maybe I'm hearing things.
"I assure you it isn't." The voice replied. A reflection of the horned woman Fredrich appears in the dishwater below.
Karl held his anxiety and looked into the shiny spout of another reflection. It was only Dido and him in the room. Was Fredrich more powerful than some of these ships and could communicate indirectly with him? It appeared so.
"If you wish to speak, My dear child, please come see me."
"Depends if you have the answers I seek. Like, was that you in the rain who attacked me?" He growls.
The reflection disappears, leaving him infuriated at the taunting H-Class battleship. Dido looks over to see him angrily staring into the dishwater.
"Master?" She asked him, worried about his sudden shift in mood from happiness to anger. "Did this maid offend you?"
The maid began to sniffle and withdraw into her lack of self-esteem as her beloved Master stared blankly into the water. A sea of negative energy took over the two instantly as she scrambled to find her emotional support doll of her sister Sirius. From the corner of his eye, he could see the maid diving into her own insecurities like a crash-diving submarine. He regained just enough control of his wits to wipe the sand from his eyes.
"Dido, Sweetie, you did nothing at all," Karl replied as he turned to her. "I'm just… Just conflicted by something is all and a bit tired."
"Are you sure, Master?" Dido asks as she holds her doll tight to her chest. "You wouldn't abandon me out of anger if I did anything wrong, would you?"
"Never."
His tone was confident, and his emotions were intense. Too much to Dido's surprise, Karl hugged the maid and held her firmly. The maid enjoyed this and returned it without hesitation. But she, like Roon before her, wanted more. The maid, however, wasn't as bold as the Iron Blood heavy cruiser and instead opted for a kiss.
The kiss was unexpected by Karl, but he nevertheless enjoyed the sweet peaks from the cute maid. While it didn't last long, she nevertheless enjoyed it and laid her head against her Master's chest.
"Thank you for making Breakfast for us, My Honorable Master." She says quietly. "Please forgive this maid for her boldness. But I believe something is troubling you."
There wasn't much of an explanation he could give her; he lacked the words or understanding of what happened in his dream or what happened in reality to explain it. With a heavy sigh, he shrugged, "I'm not sure exactly what happened last night. Which troubles me greatly and makes me frustrated at myself. Someone attacked me, I believe, and someone else is taunting me."
"You were attacked…." Dido replies, fear laced with simmering anger under her breath.
"Attacked last night," Karl repeats. "Before you came in to save me from my nightmare."
The slight joking tone in his voice cut the edge off for Dido. But the maid was still preoccupied with mentally murdering her Master's attacker. "You were attacked… Who attacked you?"
"I'm not sure." He says, expressing frustration with his hands. "I remember long hair and burned clothes. I don't know if that was from the storm or not. But whoever it took one hit with their fist to my chest. Nothing more."
"There are many girls here with long hair, Master." Dido points out. "I don't think any of them would attack you either. I can only say the Sirens would do such a thing."
"But how did they get through?" Karl asks her. "Security detail here would have run into them first… Who was on security detail last night?"
"I regret to inform you that it was my sister and me," Dido says sadly, looking down with disappointment. "We did not see anyone or anything suspicious last night. But you were asleep when I returned," said the head maid Ms. Belfast."
"Nothing to regret," Karl replied frankly. "The figure appeared FROM the storm. I don't think the sirens can appear that way, only from portals."
Dido looked at him oddly, "Master… I do not mean to be rude; please excuse this pitiful maid, but you told the former Commander that you never fought the sirens before."
He became noticeably quiet and looked back to the water in the sink. "I've read many reports. I know a little about them. The portal is one of the details."
"True…" Dido replied, noticing the unsureness in his voice. But who was a lonely maid to judge her Master? She thought to herself. "I don't believe a siren wouldn't take the chance to eliminate you. You don't appear to be hurt physically."
"That is what I don't understand either." He continues. "The figure hit me in the chest, sending me through the door. That's why I feel like whoever, or whatever, it was taunting me."
"My Honorable Master," Dido says to him regretfully. "I believe I am not much help here. Please forgive this maid. I haven't engaged with the sirens directly, just their mass-produced ships. I did not mention this because I was worried you would think less of me."
The gears were turning in his mind as a distant expression took over his face. His eyes laser-focused on the water in the sink. Tapping his fingers rhythmically on the metal tub of the sink, he looked back at Dido, "You said you worked with Takeo and Atago, correct?"
Dido snaps her fingers, "Yes! I know for a fact those two faced the humanoid sirens!"
"I need to meet with the Sakura Empire anyways," Karl smirks. A sour feeling filled his stomach as he thought about the two girls. But why? He didn't understand, but for some reason, he felt guilty when saying their names. Dido noticed the concern on his face and wrapped her hands around his waist, hugging him. The maid rested her head against his back and closed her eyes in some kind of attempt to send whatever positive energy she could muster to him. Karl turns to see a look of despair briefly grace Dido's face, only to disappear in an instant as he embraces her in his arms. Laying on his chest, he surprises her more as he rests his head on hers.
"Is this what it feels like to be melted chocolate?" Dido asks him innocently as she wraps her arms around him.
"Yeah… I suppose." He replies, not sure what the maid meant by that statement. "Will you accompany me to the Sakura Empire dorm?"
So sweet of you to embrace the maid… Will you do the same for me?
The voice of Fredrich echoed in his mind. He felt someone's arms on his shoulders, which puzzled him because it was an empty wall and the sink behind him. Maybe she had powers he couldn't understand… The feeling of soft silk and the lightness of calm breath on his neck cemented any idea of Fredrich Der Grosse being otherworldly.
"When I finish with the Sakura girls…." Karl thinks to himself. "I'm coming to see you, Fredrich."
I look forward to seeing you, my dear child.
"Master?" Little Belfast says from around the corner. Her innocent voice broke his train of thought.
"Yes, Little Bel?" He replies.
"Dido isn't allowed there." The little maid says hesitantly, peaking from the corner of the entrance. "Head Maid Belfast explicitly forbids it."
He looked down at Dido, who gave a slight glair to the little maid. "Why?" He asked them both.
"I…" Dido hesitates. "I nearly was involved in a duel with Ms. Akagi over her treatment of Madam Commander and Ms. Junyou. She was quite cruel to both of them. The actions of this maid were unbecoming of a lady of the Royal Maid Corps and that of the Royal Navy. I was personally punished by Lady Hood and Lady Belfast."
"I admire that," Karl says flatly, truly impressed by her actions. "You stood up to someone when they were wrong. I respect that."
"Dido punched Lady Akagi in her face and said she smelled like a wild beast." Little Belfast interjected. The sentence surprised Karl, making him reply with a hearty laugh, then hugged Dido. "That's my girl!"
"I will be praying for your safety, my honorable master. " Dido says, blushing bright red. "Your personal maid will assist the other maids in the meantime."
"Thank you, Dido," Karl replies as Dido looks up at him. She kisses him passionately one last time before reluctantly going with little Belfast.