Chapter 6

As Noah entered the cab waiting for him and Brian outside Glasgow Airport, a hundred scenarios ran through his mind.

Finding Valiant should be easy; all they had to do was go to Govan High School and ask for the girl in the picture. He was more worried about convincing whoever had found her to release her into his custody. He wasn't her parent, and if they were providing for her effectively, there was no reason for him to even take her away.

It was a short drive to Govan, but to him it felt twice as long. He stared outside the window, watching the scenery passed by, wishing the trip was faster. It was almost 3 in the afternoon. He had only a few hours of daylight left.

The river Clyde soon came into view. Before long, they had already passed the town hall, heading further within the district. After asking for directions, they finally arrived at the expansive property of Govan High School.

Noah quickly got out of the car, Brian trailing behind him. It was Saturday, and he didn't call the school in advance, so he was simply trying his luck that any of the staff was inside.

He tried the door. It was locked. Grimacing, he looked around. Tall chainlink fences surrounded the school lawn, where he could see an elderly caretaker operating a lawn mower. Noah waved at him, and the old man looked up, perplexed.

"Good afternoon," Noah greeted as he approached. "Is Headmaster Atkens inside?"

The caretaker shook his head. "He left just an hour ago," he said in heavy Glaswegian. Thankfully, Grandma Esther was half-Scottish; Noah could understand the dialect.

"We have some business with him. Could you tell me where he lives?"

After receiving the address, Noah hurried with Brian in tow. Atkens's house was just a five-minute walk from the school. It was a simple two-storey building, certainly not one he would expect a school headmaster to own.

He rang the doorbell, then waited. A minute passed before the door opened and a middle-aged man stepped out with a friendly smile.

"Good afternoon," he said. Noah was still wearing his uniform, and he didn't miss the way the man's expression grew perplexed at the sight of a high-rank navy officer in his doorstep.

"Good afternoon. Are you Headmaster Atkens?"

"Yes. Who's asking, eh?"

Noah dipped his head a little. "Noah Dallimore. I'm looking for this girl in the picture." Short and simple. He didn't want to elaborate further on who he was.

Atkens frowned as he stared at the picture. Recognition flashed in his eyes. "Ah, Valerie Mackenzie. Yes, she's enrolled at Govan High School." He looked at Noah inquisitively. "Are you a relative?"

"I'm a friend of her late father."

Noah kept it as brief as he could. Fabricating a story, he had come to learn, was best done with as few details as possible, lessening the chance for inconsistencies.

Atkens shook his head. "How do I know you're telling the truth, eh? For all I know, you could be one of them child traffickers."

Thankfully, Noah was prepared for such a possibility. He held out a hand toward Brian, who gave him a folder. "You'll find her birth certificate there."

The headmaster scrutinized the documents thoroughly, often glancing at Noah in suspicion. Noah stood patiently. After some minutes, Atkens nodded, returning the documents. "Eh, you seem to be telling the truth, Mr. Dallimore. Now school regulations prohibit revealing personal information of the students to non-relatives, but I'll make an exception in this case."

Noah let his shoulders sag in relief, glad that this part was over. He had been prepared for setbacks, and even brought a sizable sum of money just in case Atkens needed a little convincing, but thankfully he wouldn't have to. Atkens gave him the address, then asked, "I will presume you will get her transferred to another school?"

"Yes. I live in Hampshire, and her sisters are with me."

"Sisters, eh? Well, I can't say I'll be disappointed. Perhaps Valerie needs to be with her real family."

Noah frowned. "What do you mean?"

Atkens sighed. "She's… difficult to manage, is all I can say. You'd best see it for yourself." With a faint smile, he bade them farewell and closed the door.

Confused, Noah glanced at Brian. "He said she's difficult to manage. Do you have any idea what that means?" He certainly hoped it didn't mean Valiant's behavior. As far as he had seen, the Queen Elizabeth warships displayed proper etiquette and manners so far.

Brian shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine, Commander."

They started to walk. The Mackenzie residence was just within the area, and it wasn't long before the house rose into view. Noah could tell it was from a well-off family. The front yard was wide, dominated by flowers and a small play area for children.

As they neared the fence, a rottweiler started barking. Noah glanced at it briefly before ringing the doorbell. Ahead, a small figure emerged from the house.

"Heel, Troy," the girl said in a commanding tone. The dog immediately stopped barking, prowling her side as she approached the gated fence. When she saw Noah's uniform, her gaze sharpened.

"And who might you be?" she asked.

Noah studied her. Seeing Valiant in person made him realize how alike she and Elizabeth looked, perhaps even more so than Warspite. And her eyes, unwavering and proud. In a low voice, he asked, "You are HMS Valiant?"

Valiant stiffened and swiftly glanced over her shoulder. There was no one coming out of the house. She looked back at him and leaned forward, saying in an equally quiet whisper, "How did you know?"

"We've been expecting you," Noah said. "Your sisters and I."

Her eyebrows rose. "Sisters? So they've been reborn as well?"

"Yes. Queen Elizabeth and Warspite."

"Oh, thank god! And I thought I was alone. No one believed me when I told them who I am, not even when I recited all of my crew's names." She rolled her eyes. "The idiots."

Noah exchanged a glance with Brian, then he looked at Valiant again. He had expected suspicion and disbelief, not the calm acceptance he was seeing. "Well, we're here and we believe."

"Naturally. After all, why would I, the great Valiant, be lying?"

She is difficult to manage. Noah was slowly realizing what it meant. He hesitated, looking at the house. Valiant was obviously being well taken care of. There was no reason for him to adopt her, and he could simply tell the family that Valiant had sisters who would visit her occasionally.

"Well, what are you standing there for?" She crossed her arms, annoyed. "Aren't you supposed to take me away?"

He blinked. "Aren't you satisfied with your foster parents?"

"Satisfied?" she cried. "I'm being treated like a child, even sending me to school for older children. No one believes me and no one respects me except Troy here. How is that satisfactory? I deserve better than this sorry excuse of—"

"Valerie? Who are you talking to, dear?"

A frail-looking woman stepped out of the house. Her eyes stared at Noah behind thick veils of graying hair, her weathered hand gripping her cane tightly. She walked slowly, alternating glances between Valerie and Noah.

At once, Valerie's demeanor changed. "Oh, Mama, you shouldn't have gone outside." She hurried to whom Noah presumed was her adopted mother. "You might catch a cold!"

The woman smiled, patting her cheek affectionately. "It's all right, dear. I'm stronger than I look. Now who might these two gentlemen be?" She stared at Noah with polite but inquisitive eyes.

"Good afternoon. Mrs. Mackenzie?"

"Yes. Who is asking?"

"I'm Noah Dallimore. I'm a friend of Valerie's late father."

Mrs. Mackenzie gasped, glancing toward Valerie with misty eyes. "Oh, my plum." She pulled her into a gentle embrace, rubbing her back soothingly. "It's all right, dear. It's all right."

Over the woman's shoulder, Valiant sent Noah a flat look and eyes that screamed, HELP ME!

Noah wondered if he should. Mrs. Mackenzie was deeply attached to Valiant from what he could see, and it would affect her if the girl was taken from her. What to do?

Sniffling, Mrs. Mackenzie broke away from Valiant and smiled at Noah. "Please, come inside. I believe we have much to talk about. Valerie, be a good girl and open the gate for our guests, please."

"Yes, Mama."

They strode inside. Brian offered to assist Mrs. Mackenzie, which she accepted. Despite the house's size, the living room was surprisingly sparse, though the furnitures looked expensive.

Noah paused at a shelf displaying several picture frames. In the middle was a family photo, with a younger Mrs. Mackenzie, her golden bangs framing her beaming face, and a handsome man that Noah assumed was her husband, standing with five teenagers around them, smiling at the camera. A happy family.

He averted his gaze, feeling a tightness in his chest, brief and easily suppressed. It was a life he never had but could give to Elizabeth.

"Martin!" Mrs. Mackenzie called. "Martin, dear? We have guests!"

From the kitchen, a man stepped out, old as Mrs. Mackenzie, equally frail, an older version of the man in the family photo. His bald head swiveled from one person to another. "Who are they, Nellie?"

"They say they know Valerie's real father."

Mr. Mackenzie's eyes widened, and he studied Noah and Brian. "Is that so? Well, then, sit, sit."

Mrs. Mackenzie glanced toward Brian. "You can let go of me now, dear."

They sat on the plush leather sofa. Mr. Mackenzie left briefly for the kitchen, returning a few minutes later with a tray. "I'm not as good as Nellie here with making tea," he said with an embarrassed smile as he set the tray on the table, "so I'd have to apologize now."

"It's all right, Mr. Mackenzie." Noah resisted the urge to tell him that he was used to people who couldn't make a good tea. Compared to Brian's usual brew, at least before meeting Franceska, Mr. Mackenzie's couldn't be that bad.

He drank a sip, then raised an eyebrow. It wasn't that awful. A little on the bitter side, but passable. "It's good."

Mr. Mackenzie laughed. "Please, you needn't do that. It's bitter, I know. There's need to sugarcoat it."

"And you needn't do that to yourself as well, dear." Mrs. Mackenzie playfully swatted him on the arm. "You make good tea. How do you think I fell in love with you?"

"My charming smile?" Mr. Mackenzie said with a grin, earning him a laugh and a brief kiss from his wife.

Next to them, Valiant looked prepared to bolt. Sparing her from further embarrassment, Noah cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the Mackenzies once again. "Mr. and Mrs. Mackenzie, my apologies for interrupting, but may I know how you met Valerie?"

The elderly married couple straightened on their seats. "Ah, that's quite a strange occurrence." Mrs. Mackenzie glanced at her husband, who nodded.

"Yes. A little funny too. Why, some boys who were fishing at the Clyde found Valiant on the banks—naked!—with a flopping salmon in her mouth."

The two burst into giggles, and even Brian snickered. Valiant buried her face in her hands, concealing the redness of her cheeks.

Noah nodded. Washed up ashore, just like her sisters. "When did you find her?"

"Just last month," Mrs. Mackenzie replied after her giggles subsided. "Noivember 4, I believe."

"Yes, November 4," Mr. Mackenzie said.

Her launch date, Noah thought, sending a sideway glance at Brian. His aide chewed his lower lip thoughtfully, and Noah could guess what he was thinking: Valiant wasn't supposed to be reborn until next year. Why is she here?

"The poor girl was disoriented when they found her," Mrs. Mackenzie added. "Kept rambling about how she was a ship and all that." She shook her head in pity. "The psychiatrist said she could have had a concussion, and since Govan is quite famous for building ships during the war, Valerie must have thought she was a ship." She sniffed. "The poor child. But it's all right now, isn't it, dear? Your Mama and Papa love you."

"Yes, Mama," Valiant said in what was unmistakably a fake sweet voice.

"She couldn't remember her parents' names, and we couldn't find any trace of them, either, so we simply took her in." Mrs. Mackenzie smiled. "This is not the first time, of course. Have you seen the pictures when you walked in? Those are our children."

"Raised them all by ourselves," Mr. Mackenzie added with pride. "They were abandoned, but now they're all professionals."

"And when our youngest daughter grows up, she'll take after her brothers and sisters," his wife cooed. "Isn't that right, dear?"

Valiant clenched her fists, but her sweet smile remained. "Yes, Mama."

The old woman giggled, then her expression became serious as she looked at Noah. "Now then, may I ask what you came here for, Mr. Dallimore?"

Her tone had changed too, tinged with hostility. Noah shifted in his seat. It reminded him somewhat of his mother, and that gave him courage for his next words: "I'm here to take Valerie to her sisters."

There was silence. Noah watched as the woman regarded him frostily, her eyes narrowed. "You mean to visit, am I right?"

"Nellie…" Mr. Mackenzie murmured.

Noah shook his head, meeting the woman's glare. "No, Mrs. Mackenzie. I'm here to take Valerie to live with her sisters. Just as her late father wanted before he died."

"Her father whom left her for dead?" Mrs. Mackenzie laughed harshly.

"It was an accident, ma'am. His boat blew off and Valerie was washed away, apparently." Noah shot Valiant a swift look. Thankfully, the reborn warship seemed to understand.

She gasped, her hands leaping to her head. "Oh! Oh, my head!"

"What is it, my plum?" Mrs. Mackenzie cried, staring at Valiant in concern. "Does your head hurt? Tell Mama!"

"It hurts! Oh, it hurts! But… But I remember now. My father! Oh, Father, why have you left me!" she whimpered, a rather convincing facade that had Mrs. Mackenzie bursting into tears.

She wrapped her hands around Valerie's head, and cradled her in her bosom. "Oh, my plum! Don't cry! You're safe with Mama and Papa now! We'll take care of you forever!"

"But my sisters! I want to see… Elizabeth! And… And…"

"Edith," Noah supplied.

"Edith!" Valiant pried herself away from Mrs. Mackenzie's grasp. "Mama, Papa, I am utterly grateful to the both of you for taking good care of me. But now the time has come for us to part ways! My sisters need me."

Beside him, Noah heard his aide sniffling quietly, and he almost spat his tea. He didn't think Brian could be that gullible. Then again, the lad rarely use his common sense.

Mrs. Mackenzie swallowed thickly. "But my plum, surely you can't be serious! We aren't even sure if Mr. Dallimore is—"

Noah slid a folder into the table. "Her father's last will."

The woman snatched it with a scowl, her eyes narrowed as she read the contents. With each second the fury in her eyes smoldered brighter. Mr. Mackenzie stared at her in rising worry, his gaze darting between his wife and the documents.

Noah calmly sipped his tea. A thousand pounds he had spent to have it forged; now he would know if the price was worth it.

"I will not accept this!" Mrs. Mackenzie snarled, hurling the folder into the table. It slammed into the teacup that Noah had already drained, toppling the teacup on its side. "We found Valerie! We took her in!"

"Nellie, that's enough," Mr. Mackenzie said gently.

"Yes, Mama," Valiant added. "It will be all right. I will visit you and—"

It happened so fast that Noah almost failed to react, but the years living with his parents honed his reaction speed. Before Mrs. Mackenzie's palm could strike Valiant's cheek, his hand was already wrapped around the woman's wrist.

"Nellie!" Mr. Mackenzie leapt to his feet as fast as his wobbly legs allowed, eyes wide in terror and shock.

Noah met Mrs. Mackenzie's venomous glare with defiance. For a moment, her face morphed into his mum's—wild-eyed, lips twisted into a mad snarl of contempt, gaze full of rage. Then it was Mrs. Mackenzie's again, and there wasn't much of a difference.

"Valerie, gather your belongings and wait outside with Brian. Brian, call a cab."

The girl leapt to her feet at once and, without so much as a glance, ran up the stairs in a hurry. Brian rose to his feet and rushed outside the street.

Noah released Mrs. Mackenzie's wrist. She stepped back, rubbing it, but her furious glare remained. "Martin, call the police!" she shrieked.

"Nellie…"

"Call the police!"

Her husband stared helplessly. He glanced at Noah, eyes filled with hesitation. Noah watched him. The old man didn't seem the type of person who would fight his wife, but neither did he seem to be obsessed with authority.

Finally, Mr. Mackenzie squared his shoulders and looked at his wife. "No."

Her fury focused on him. "She is our child!"

"She is not our child any more than the others are." His lower lip trembled, but he pressed on. "Nellie, there are people waiting for Valerie. A family. Sisters. We can't take that away from her. You need to let her go."

"I will not let anyone take her away from me!" Her face contorted into sheer rage. "I will not let my children leave me again!"

There came pounding footsteps descending the stairs. Valiant soon returned with a backpack and a medium-sized suitcase that was nearly half her size, dragging it along.

With a cry, Mrs. Mackenzie tried to lunge at her, but her husband stepped in her way, wrapping his arms around her. "Nellie, that's enough!"

"No! Not my plum!" Mrs. Mackenzie wailed.

Noah watched as Valiant marched past the old woman with an impassive expression. She didn't glance back, and there wasn't any remorse in her eyes as she passed through the door.

Mrs. Mackenzie's wail grew louder, almost a screech by now. Still restraining her, Mr. Mackenzie regarded Noah sorrowfully. "Please take good care of her. She's the only one who truly made Nellie happy."

"My plum!"

"I will, Mr. Mackenzie. Thank you."

With a respectful dip of his head, Noah spun around and left.

###

Valiant hadn't said a word until the plane had touched down and they were on the highway. Noah was still formulating a story he could tell Elisa for Valiant's presence when the girl spoke.

"She didn't hit me once, if you want to know."

He looked at her in surprise. On the driver's seat, Brian's eyes flicked to the rearview mirror, intrigued.

Noah waited. He couldn't see her expression in the dark, but her tone was tinged with sadness. "Mama was strict to me. Stricter than a captain, if I'm going to be honest. I had to follow every rule, every order. That's why I had to pretend to be sweet and obedient Valerie."

"Because you don't want her to hit you?"

"Because I don't want to hate her."

There was a pause. For a moment, the only sound was the muffled engines of passing cars and trucks. Then Valiant continued, "Papa was different, but he loves Mama too much to speak up. What happened earlier was the first time I've seen him openly defy her."

"Do you regret leaving?" Noah asked. If Valiant wanted, he could return her to the Mackenzies, let her live among them on the condition that they would let the girl visit her sisters whenever she wanted.

She shook her head. "They are frail and old, but they aren't helpless without me. This is for the best. Besides, I belong with my sisters."

It wasn't long until the Dallimore estate rose into view, and it struck Noah how eerily similar this had been when he and Brian first found Warspite. Hopefully, it wouldn't end the same way again with Elizabeth slamming a door in their faces.

As Brian parked the car, Valiant peered outside the window, her eyes bright with excitement, all traces of her sadness gone. "So, this will be my new house?"

"New home," Noah corrected. They got out of the car, Brian taking out Valiant's suitcase out of the trunk. Noah rang the doorbell. It was Friday night, and the lights in the living room and front door were on.

While they waited, Noah asked Valiant, "I almost forgot. Did a strange woman come to see you in the past days?"

Valiant frowned. "What do you mean?"

He hesitated. Telling Valiant too much might tarnish her impression of Franceska if ever his assumptions were wrong, but he still needed to know if they were right. "Let me rephrase that, then. Did anyone come to you asking questions?"

"No. Only you and your servant."

Noah blinked. Servant? He glanced at Brian, but his aide looked just as perplexed. Before he could correct Valiant, the front door opened and a small white figure hurried toward them.

"Ah, Noah!" Elizabeth greeted cheerfully. As she drew closer, Noah realized why she looked white.

"Is that flour?" Now that he could see her clearly, it was indeed flour, her face and hands dusted with the fine powder, as was her red apron.

Elizabeth looked down at herself with a sheepish smile. "Yes, Elisa is teaching us how to bake and—"

"Noah, tell your maid that instead of just standing there like an idiot, she should open the gate," Valiant said. "And why isn't she addressing you as 'sir'?"

Slowly, Elizabeth raised her head and narrowed her eyes at Valiant, seemingly seeing her for the first time. Noah's eyebrows nearly disappeared in his hairline, and he heard Brian choking behind him.

"Maid?" Elizabeth asked incredulously.

"Noah?" Brian wondered.

Elizabeth's gaze whipped toward Noah. "Who is this runt?"

"Runt?" Valiant demanded, her face beet-red. "Have you seen yourself in the mirror, imbecile?"

"Imbecile?! Who the fuc—"

"Elizabeth, Valiant, that's enough," Noah said, rubbing his forehead. This wasn't going as well as he had expected. And he had a feeling it would only get worse, as the silence that befell them was enough for him to hear Mr. Talbot's whistling, a hundred yards behind him.

"Valiant?" Elizabeth asked in disbelief.

"Elizabeth?" Valiant scanned her from head to toe, and back again. "Queen Elizabeth, my sister ship, lead ship of the class? Her?"

"Yes, I am," Elizabeth snapped. She turned to Noah. "Please tell me this is a joke, Noah."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Valiant said indignantly.

Noah shook his head. "This isn't a joke. Elizabeth, meet your sister, Valiant. Valiant, meet Queen Elizabeth."

There was another moment of silence as Elizabeth regarded her sister with borderline disappointment. Uncertainty flashed in her eyes, along with fear, but they vanished just as quickly as they had appeared, making Noah wonder if his eyes were merely playing tricks on him.

It was Valiant's hysterical laughter that broke the silence. She doubled over, clutching her stomach, howling shrilly in the night. Elizabeth gaped at her, her face reddening. "Why are you laughing?" she demanded.

Another full minute passed before Valiant stopped, the trembling in her shoulders subsiding. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she said, "Oh, I'm so, so sorry. I just never expected that our reunion will be like this. I mean, you look…" She snickered. "Well, not queenly."

Scowling, Elizabeth unlocked the gate, the clanging of the metal bars loud in the night. As the gate swung inward, Valiant dashed past her with a broad grin.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Elizabeth yelled. But it was too late. Valiant had already entered the manor.

Noah was already moving even before Elizabeth started running after her sister. Valiant's impulsiveness would certainly cause more trouble. He had been hoping that he could gradually break the news to Elisa first. And knowing her, the reaction would be catastrophic.

Sure enough, a loud yell drifted from within the manor. "WHO ARE YOU?"

He burst through the living room and into the kitchen, where Elisa stood behind the counter, eyes wide in shock. Warspite stood next to her, covered in flour, a spatula raised like a sword.

Valiant stared at Elisa unimpressively, but regarded Warspite with approval. "Well, at least you don't look like a maid, unlike our sister." She wrinkled her nose. "Who's the walrus, though?"

"Walrus?" Elisa said indignantly. Then she finally saw Noah. "Noah! What's the meaning of this?" she demanded.

Elizabeth had just dashed inside, huffing and panting, when Noah answered, "Eli, this is Valerie. She's… She's Elizabeth's and Edith's sister, and—"

"What?" Elisa's gaze darted toward a grimacing Elizabeth, then to a dumbfounded Warspite before swinging back to a smirking Valiant. Then it snapped to Noah. "Noah, you can't be bloody serious!"

"I know, Eli, but—"

"Are you telling me their father had another child?"

"Yes. And their—"

"And you only found her now?"

"Indeed. Because—"

"This is just too much!" She placed the heel of her palm against her forehead. "Edith, I can understand. But you're saying this midget—"

"Hey, who are you calling a midget?!"

"You," Elisa snapped. Valiant scowled, glaring at her. Elisa turned to Noah again. "You're saying she is another of your friend's lost child? I do not believe this. I cannot believe this, Noah!"

"Eli, please…"

"No!" She jabbed a finger in his direction. "I've been silent for so long, but no more. Tell me the truth. Now! Are they your daughters? Have you slept with a lot of women?"

"What? No! Why would I…" Noah looked at her helplessly. He had already anticipated something like this, but to be confronted with this situation far earlier than he had expected wasn't something he was prepared for.

In hindsight, though, Elisa's reaction was only natural. The sisters had arrived only weeks apart, and it was suspicious any way one looked at it. And despite the story he had been crafting on the way here, Noah knew it wouldn't work past his sister's perception. Not anymore. There was no point hiding the truth from her any longer.

With a sigh, he said, "Girls, could you wait in the living room with Brian for a moment? My sister and I have to discuss this alone."

Elizabeth nodded reluctantly. "Come on, Edith. Let's wash up first."

Warspite followed her into the sink. Meanwhile, Valiant shrugged and left. After drying themselves, the two sisters strode past Noah. Elizabeth gave him an encouraging nod as she closed the door.

Elisa crossed her arms. "Well, it's just the two of us now. Are you finally going to tell me what's all this about?"

Noah nodded and pulled a chair to sit on. "You may want to sit. This could take long."

Glowering at him, Elisa sat at the opposite end of the table, planting her meaty palms on the surface. Dinner was over by the time Noah had arrived, but there was a tea kettle and several teacups. At the moment, though, he wanted something more stronger than tea.

Drawing a deep breath, he spoke. "Before I begin, I need you to swear that you aren't to reveal what I'm going to tell you to anyone else outside this house."

His sister raised an eyebrow. "Why? You don't want our neighbors and friends to know that you have three bastards in secret?"

"No. I don't want the world to know that I am hiding three girls who have once been warships."

The silence that followed was enough for Noah to hear the quiet whispers of the sisters just outside the door, but he ignored them in favor of watching his sister's expression morph from confusion to concern.

"Say that again, would you?"

"You heard me, Eli. They are the reincarnation of warships. World War 2-era warships. Elizabeth herself was the same ship that Grandpa Connor had served aboard on."

And so he told her everything, beginning on the day Devonport found Elizabeth. He didn't hide anything; he knew he couldn't anymore, and it was best that his sister learn the truth now when he was the one revealing it to her rather than she found out about it in a different circumstance.

When Noah finished, Elisa remained silent as she stared at him, and he readied himself for another tirade. It wouldn't matter, however. If Elisa wouldn't believe his words, a demonstration of Elizabeth's strength would certainly eliminate all of her doubts.

"Oh my God," she whispered, eyes widening, "you're telling the truth."

Noah frowned, not expecting her reaction. Still, it was better than the alternative. "I am. I know it's… difficult to believe, but it is the truth."

"I believe you. I saw Edith—"

"She's Warspite." Elisa may not have the heart for the sea, but Grandpa Connor always told them stories about the Royal Navy when they were still children. "Valerie is Valiant."

"Warspite…" she murmured. "Yes. I saw her lift a bed with one hand, while she and Elizabeth were cleaning the rooms. I thought I was just imagining things."

So it's not just Elizabeth, Noah thought. He remembered the way Valiant carried her belongings earlier, as if they weighed less than a heavy backpack. He shook his head. "You weren't. Remember when I first took Elizabeth here? I told you there was an accident at Devonport."

"You said a steel block almost fell on her."

"Not almost, Eli. It did fall on her. The block was dented. And a lot of people saw."

"Oh my God." She put a hand on her mouth, then lowered it quickly. Her eyes darted around, something she always did when she was thinking hard over a difficult situation. "Do they…?"

"Hopefully not." Noah paused. "But do you understand now, Eli? If word of this gets out, their lives might be put into danger."

"You mean our lives," she retorted, though it wasn't with hostility. "And suppose that someone learns about this, what would you do?"

"I will fight for them." There was no hesitation in his voice. He knew it the moment Elizabeth gazed at him for the first time from a little hospital room. He would protect her along with her sisters.

Elisa stared at him, then grunted. "You better keep that promise this time, Noah."

He nodded. Perhaps this was his atonement, and whatever happens, he wouldn't fail anymore. He would protect them, just as Grandpa Connor did for him and Elisa all those years.

With a huff, Elisa rose from her seat, moving to the door and swinging it open. There was a chorus of yelps, and the three Queen Elizabeth-class warships tumbled inside, collapsing on the floor in a tangled mess of limbs and hair.

Elisa smirked as they looked up at her nervously. "Get up. That cake won't bake itself."

Originally, this chapter would be longer. But I had to cut it in half because it was already getting too bloated, and I generally don't want chapters to be past 10k words. Not for this fic, at least.

The good thing this, though, is that the next chapter will come much sooner. In fact, I should be able to post it by the end of this week, so stay tuned for that!

As always, thank you for the support. Until next time!