Chapter 8
April, 1994
"We hope you enjoyed your stay here! Please come by again to Samson's Bistro & Café!"
With a pleasant smile and a slight bow at the waist, Elizabeth cheerfully ushered the married couple to the swinging glass doors. As they left, she patted her pocket. So far, so good. It wasn't noon yet, but her pockets were already bulging with tips.
Part of it, of course, was because of her magnificent treatment of their customers and the way she handled their needs. Four months of being a server had taught her one thing in this career: smile, and keep smiling even when there were situations that couldn't be won with pleasantries and compliments.
That, and patience. Endless amount of patience, especially when a co-worker, which also happened to be her sister, was constantly making a fool of herself.
Like what was happening now, as an example. From where she stood, Elizabeth watched as Valiant balanced a stack of empty plates in one hand, almost as tall as she was, while the other held a tray filled to the edge with cups and glasses—an impressive sight, all things considered, but one that would certainly attract an accident.
Show off, Elizabeth thought, sighing. She strode to her sister. If she didn't intervene soon, Valiant was likely to break things again.
"Here. Let me help you," Elizabeth offered when she reached Valiant's side.
Her expression a mask of sheer focus, Valiant sent her a sideways glance. "It's all right, I can do this."
"No, you can't. You won't even get to the kitchen."
Valiant rolled her eyes, and continued on her way. Stubborn as always. Elizabeth didn't know whether it was ego or plain foolishness. Maybe it was both; the two seemed to cling onto Valiant's twin tails like monkeys.
But perhaps she was underestimating her sister. Valiant calmly walked toward the door, which Elizabeth hurried over to open. As Valiant passed, she mumbled, "Thank you," and went on her way inside where Elizabeth could hear the sizzling of oil and the hiss of boiling water.
Elizabeth closed the door, impressed. Only a month, and Valiant was beginning to improve. There was hope, after all.
The glass doors swung inward. Plastering another smile on her ace, Elizabeth smoothed the wrinkles of her red apron before striding toward the new customer. "Good morning! How may w—"
"Where's Elisa?" the man demanded, loudly and harshly.
Elizabeth retreated a step, blinking back her shock. She was used to unruly customers; they have those at least once in a week, two if they were extremely unlucky. But most of them were simply individuals who woke on a bad day, or had had an awful day at work.
This man, though…
Elizabeth stared up at him, scrutinizing his strangely familiar face, trying to remember where she had seen him. He was in his 60s, his body lean and fit despite his age. Had he been here before? No, that wasn't right. Elizabeth would have remembered someone like him. But that hard jaw, she was certain she had seen it already.
The man's cold eyes took her in, his slanted eyebrows forming a sharp V. "Didn't you hear me, midget? I'm asking where is Elisa! Where is my daughter!"
The stink of alcohol in his breath struck her full in her face, and it clicked. Daughter. This was Connor Junior.
Elizabeth stared into him, and immediately knew what to do. Samson was out on an errand and wouldn't be back until the afternoon. If he was here, Connor Junior wouldn't be so bold. But he wasn't here, and Elizabeth wasn't going to allow any trouble within the bistro.
Schooling her features into a pleasant expression, Elizabeth smiled politely. "My apologies, sir, but—"
She yelped as he shoved her, snarling, head swiveling like a bull. Landing on the floor with a heavy thud, Elizabeth glanced at Warspite, who was already rushing to her side from the bar, wide-eyed.
Connor Junior strode to the door that led to the kitchen. "You can't go in there, that's trespassing!" Elizabeth shouted, scrambling to her feet.
"Call the police," she muttered to Warspite before dashing past Connor Junior and planting her feet firmly in front of the door, arms crossed over her chest. "I said, you can't go in here."
The man fixed her with a scorching gaze. "Step out of the way, midget. I want to see my daughter," he growled.
Elizabeth hesitated. Many of the patrons were starting to gawk and whisper at the commotion. Warspite was already at the phone, her expression silently asking.
He just wanted to talk with Elisa. After being gone for so long, this man wanted to talk with the daughter he had abandoned. Elizabeth bit her lower lip. Was she really in a position to stop that? This man would have been her father as well, disgusting as the thought may be, and while he wasn't asking kindly, what harm could there be in letting him near Elisa?
Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth shook her head at Warspite, then stepped aside. "She's in there. But please don't take too long," she said coolly. "We have customers to attend to."
"You don't tell me what to do," he snapped. "Who are you anyway?"
Elizabeth didn't reply. She opened the door and poked her head inside the kitchen. Valiant was by the sink, washing the dishes, while Elisa stirred a pot of stew.
"Why am I doing this?" Valiant groaned. "I should be out there greeting people with my brilliant smile, not—"
Elisa snorted. "Your brilliant smile looks like a sneer most of the time."
"Eli?" Elizabeth rapped her knuckles at the door, getting both of their attention. Elisa looked at her.
"Yes, Beth?" she asked.
Swallowing the nervousness in her throat, Elizabeth replied gently, "Your father is here to see you."
A heavy silence fell. Elisa's eyes widened, her mouth agape, which she promptly closed into a thin line. With trembling fingers, she turned off the stove and wiped her hands with a towel. "Where is he?" she asked calmly.
"He's—"
Another yelp tore from Elizabeth's lips as Connor Junior shouldered past her with a growl of impatience. Pain blossomed in her forehead, a loud thud sounding in her ears. When she looked, there was a dent in the wooden cabinet in front of her.
"Beth!" Elisa cried, then froze. Next to her Valiant glared.
"Who gave you permission to come here?" she demanded, her tone fierce. It would have been impressive if not for her height; Connor Junior towered over her by a huge margin.
He ignored her and marched toward Elisa. Rubbing her forehead, Elizabeth took a step, but Elisa held up her hand.
"It's all right, Beth. Could you and Val leave us for a moment?" She faced her father, eyes cold, her expression like steel.
Elizabeth hesitated, then nodded, beckoning for Valiant to followed, sending Connor Junior a smoldering glare as she passed.
Outside the kitchen, Warspite waited. "Well?" she asked.
After a quick look around and seeing Samson nowhere in sight, Elizabeth shook her head. "They're both in there."
"Who's that anyway?" Valiant said.
"Elisa's father." Elizabeth looked at the door, biting her lower lip in contemplation. It was rude, but she pressed her ears against the cool wooden surface. She couldn't just leave Elisa inside with a man like that. At least she could hear if she was in trouble.
Her sisters followed her example. As Elizabeth moved to accommodate them, the conversation reached her ears, loud and distinct.
"For thirty years you've been gone from my life. Our lives," Elisa's tone was a hiss, "and the first thing you'll say after you return is to ask me for money?"
"Money!" Valiant cried, furious. "The audacity of this fu—"
Elizabeth immediately clamped her hand over her sister's mouth. "Keep your voice down," she whispered fiercely. As she released her sister, she twisted the doorknob quietly and opened the door, just wide enough for them to peek inside.
The two were still standing where Elizabeth and Valiant had left them. Elisa was scowling, one hand braced on the counter, the other trembling at her side as her father loomed over her.
"And what do you want me to say, cunt? That I missed you? That I'm sorry?" He spat on the floor. Elisa's cheeks reddened with rage.
"Let me punch him. Please," Warspite growled, a sound Elizabeth hadn't heard from her before. And as much as Elizabeth wanted to intervene herself, she knew it would only make matters worse. So she shook her head, shooting Valiant a warning look as well.
They grumbled, but didn't move.
"I don't expect you to say anything good," Elisa grounded the words out, "but don't expect me to give you anything, either. You abandoned us. Besides, where's your wonderful wife?" She sneered. "Didn't you get money from her? I'm sure she'll love providing for your needs."
A menacing snarl escaped Connor Junior's throat. "She's dead—"
"Oh, what a crying shame!" Elisa chuckled mockingly.
"—and the bank got our property," her father continued. "So, I need that money to buy it back from them."
"And how is that my problem? You've never called us! You've never come when Mum was dying, or even when she died! When Grandpa Connor, your own father, died!" She jabbed a finger in his chest, her face contorted with sheer fury. "You do not deserve my pity nor my help," she hissed. "And even if you are dying, you shall not receive my pity or any kind of help from me!"
"You insufferable cunt!" Connor Junior raised his palm, and Elisa flinched.
Elizabeth didn't know how it happened. One moment, she was still by the door. The next moment, her body was moving, sprinting across the short distance as Connor Junior's palm descended.
Her arm shot out, gripping his wrist tightly. She could break it, break every miserable inch of his body, but it would be a waste of her strength. This man wasn't even worth the trouble.
So Elizabeth smiled, even as Connor Junior stared at her with shock and fury. "Sir, we strictly prohibit violence in this establishment. So, please refrain from laying a hand on our staff and kindly exit the premises peacefully." She paused. "Or we'll call the police."
"Beth," Elisa said weakly.
"Who the fuck are you?" Connor Junior tried to jerk his wrist away, but Elizabeth's fingers curled around it like a vice. "Oi, let me go!"
"Of course, sir. Valerie, Edith, could you help me escort this man outside?"
Valiant smirked. "Gladly."
With Valiant holding the other arm, and Warspite taking hold of Connor Junior's shirt, Elizabeth and her sisters started to drag him out of the kitchen. His heels dug along the floor as he shouted protests and expletives, but it was all futile and they passed the bar, ignoring the gawking patrons whispering at the strange scene.
Still smiling, Elizabeth released her grip and stepped back inside with her sisters. "We hope you didn't enjoy your stay here. Please don't come back again!"
"I'll get you for this you little brats!"
Amidst Connor Junior's threats and insults, Elizabeth closed the glass doors, drowning his voice.
###
They closed down immediately as soon as Samson returned.
Elisa protested, of course, but as their only chef, she was in no state to continue working, at least for today. Her hands were still trembling, so Elizabeth had her sit down at a recently vacated table, pouring her a glass of water.
She drank greedily, draining it in one draught. "I'm sorry you had to see that," Elisa said, setting the glass down. She shivered.
"It's better that we saw it." Elizabeth took a seat opposite her. Elisa's eyes jumped everywhere, agitated, restless. Elisa had seen that look before in some of her crews, like a prey that remained vigilant for the slightest breath of a predator.
"He was hitting you," Warspite surmised, standing nearby with her arms crossed. "Was he hitting Noah as well?"
Elisa swallowed before lowering her gaze and nodding. "Yes," she said, her voice cracking.
Elizabeth closed her eyes and took a deep breath, grateful that her hands were empty. She should have broken that man's fingers, at least. Turned them into powders that he would be screaming for days.
When she reopened her eyes and glanced at her sisters, their eyes were smoldering with fury. Warspite turned away. "I'm going to call for Noah," she said.
"No." Elisa's hand grabbed hers, so small in her palm. "Please. He… He won't…" She stammered. "He won't like it. He might do something we'd all regret."
Elizabeth didn't have to guess what Noah would do. The revolver, she thought. That was why it was there in the shed. "He'll still know when he comes to visit."
"That's why you won't tell him." Elisa's eyes, wide and pleading, jumped to each of them. "Please."
There was fear in those begging eyes. And as much as Elizabeth wanted to refuse and tell Noah about what happened, pity and understanding won. "All right. We won't tell him." She glanced at her sisters to be certain. They nodded.
"We still have to tell the police," Samson said from the bar. "He can't come back here and cause another disturbance."
Elisa nodded. "I'm all right with that. Just, please don't tell any of this to Noah."
"We won't," Elizabeth promised.
Once they returned home, Elisa locked herself in her room and refused to come out, even when Elizabeth brought dinner. She told them she wanted to be left alone. Respecting her decision, Elizabeth left with the uneaten food.
"We should do something about this," Valiant said as they got ready for sleep. "He might come here and start harassing us. What if we're not here while Elisa is?"
On the third bed, Warspite glanced sideways from the book she was reading. "He's old. We've got a gate and a wall. Surely, he won't climb over. And if he did, that is trespassing. We'll have a reason to have him arrested."
"He could ambush Elisa when she goes out. Or any of us."
"Then we'll make sure Elisa never goes out alone. If he tries anything to us, we'll defend ourselves."
"But—"
"Enough, Valiant," Elizabeth said. She could see her sister scowling, and she understood her feelings. But they couldn't let his threats control their lives, especially that of Elisa. "It will be all right. We are stronger than normal people, aren't we?"
"Yes, but—"
"Then what is there to worry about?" She climbed onto her bed and settled under the blanket. "If he comes, we won't let him hurt Elisa and Noah. We'll use our strength if we have to."
After all, there had to be a reason why they were given this strength. And what better way to use it than to protect their family?
###
The next morning, Elisa finally left her room.
"I'm all right now," she reassured them with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. Dark bags covered her lids, and she shuffled as she walked to the table.
Valiant offered her tea, which Elisa took with a nod of gratitude. As they ate around the table, a heavy silence filled the room. Elisa barely talked despite their attempts at a conversation, taking half-hearted bites of her food. Most of the time, she was just staring into space, her eyes restless.
Elizabeth's heart ached at the sight. She didn't dare ask what Elisa and Noah went through at the cruel hands of their father, but it was obvious that Elisa's unexpected reunion with him had unlocked unwanted memories.
The doorbell rang, making Elisa jumped.
"I'll go see if that's Noah," Warspite said, about to rise from her chair. But Elizabeth shook her head.
"Stay here. I'll go instead. Valiant, come with me."
With a plate still in her hand, Valiant followed Elizabeth to the living room, where they peered over expansive front lawn from the windows. Outside the gate Noah stood, smiling and waving a thick envelope.
"Should we tell him?" Valiant asked after Elizabeth drew back the curtains.
A part of Elizabeth wanted to. It was only right that Noah learned what happened yesterday, especially if they were to ensure Elisa's safety. And he was perceptive; he would notice that something was amiss with his sister.
But Elizabeth shook her head, moving toward the front door. "We made a promise. Besides, Samson knows, and we rarely go outside. We can keep her safe."
"And once we get to London?"
Elizabeth paused just as she started twisting the knob. She had not thought that far yet, but what was to worry about? "That's still months away, Valiant. Surely, he wouldn't wait that long to do something."
She stepped outside, schooling her expression into a pleasant smile as she strode to the gate. "Noah," she greeted warmly.
"Elizabeth." He smiled as he entered. "Where are your sisters?"
"In the dining room." She eyed the enveloped he was holding. Her heart hammered. "What's that?"
He chuckled. "You'll see soon. Come on."
They arrived at the kitchen, and Elizabeth was glad to see Elisa eating. And laughing soft at something Valiant was saying.
"Of course, I wouldn't be defeated." She huffed. "I'm the great Valiant, after all. So I grabbed that fish with my mouth and swam ashore."
"And that's when those men found you?" Elisa asked, chuckling.
"Indeed. But I pretended to be a damsel-in-distress. It wouldn't do me good if they saw me walking in the nude."
"With a fish in your mouth," Warspite said dryly. "What happened to it anyway?"
"Why, I gave it away as a reward, of course!"
Elisa laughed, even though Elizabeth didn't find anything funny about the story. Still, it was good to see Elisa forgetting about yesterday's events, even for a little while.
"You girls seem to be having fun," Noah said as he walked in.
The laughter subsided immediately, but before Noah could notice, Elisa forced a smile on her face. "You're earlier than usual."
"Yes." He held up the envelope for all to see and took a seat beside his sister. "When I got this yesterday, I cancelled the rest of my plans for today." He beckoned to Elizabeth and her sisters.
Valiant and Warspite were both curious as they moved closer, but Elizabeth already knew what the enveloped held even before Noah had opened it. The way his eyes danced in joy, the smile reaching his ears. Leaning over to him, Elisa let out a soft gasp.
Elizabeth's hands trembled as Noah handed papers to each of them: a decree. An adoption decree. She stared at the name written on hers: Elizabeth Dallimore. Dallimore. It felt surreal holding it in her hands, but it also felt right, as if a missing puzzle piece was finally fitted into its rightful place.
Her eyes dampened. Smiling, she looked at Elisa and wrapped her arms around her, engulfing her in a warm embrace. And everything from yesterday seemed to just melt away like an awful nightmare.
"Sister," Elizabeth said. She felt a weight around her. Valiant and Warspite, embracing Elisa.
Something warm and wet spilled into Elizabeth's shoulder. She turned to look, thinking it was her own, but there was Elisa, smiling as the tears flowed down her cheeks.
"Sister."
###
The following days felt different yet unchanged at the same time. Though she now bore the name Dallimore, Elizabeth couldn't feel any deeper connection to the two people who mattered to her, aside from her sisters.
And she knew why; the name Dallimore was just that—a name. In her heart and theirs, they were already a family, bonded so strongly despite the short time they had spent together. Legally or not, Elizabeth and her sisters were as much a Dallimore as Noah and Elisa.
It was enough to fill the holes left by Barham's and Malaya's absence. For months Noah and Brian had searched every coastline of the United Kingdom, but Elizabeth's last two sisters didn't appear. A part of her had hoped; like Valiant and Warspite, she had rarely sailed with them, and she wanted to see her sisters in an age where they no longer had to be weapons.
But another part, somehow, was glad. She knew of Malaya's fate from the books in the library, and Elizabeth dreaded how it would have affected her sister's mind. Perhaps, in this way, Malaya was spared from remembering how she sunk, and also from the vision that Elizabeth had had.
With each passing day without her other sisters, Elizabeth had come to accept that they wouldn't be reborn. Which she didn't mind; Valiant and Warspite, and Noah and Elisa, were with her. Her family was with her.
She dedicated herself to her studies. Soon they would be attending King's College London. Elizabeth had to do her best.
Connor Junior didn't bother them anymore, so Elisa was back to her old self. Even so, Elizabeth knew it was not the last time they would see Connor Junior. He would return, but they would be ready.
A week went by, and Franceska gave them a test—a test that they all passed, as expected. For another week, Elizabeth and her sisters did nothing but review for a second major exam. Their final one, as it seemed. Day and night they stayed in the library, pouring over research materials, comparing notes, wondering who would get the highest grades. Valiant was confident she would be the one, but Warspite was cautious.
Then the day arrived. A grueling day that had them staying inside the study until the clear blue sky turned orange. Only the sounds of their pens scribbling on dozens of papers filled the room. In Elizabeth's mind, numbers and letters danced together, atoms exploded, and past and present weaved into a chaotic tale.
By the time it was over, Elizabeth felt as if she had just went through a great battle. Her head throbbed, and just the sight of a pen and paper made her want to hurl out the contents of her stomach. Her sisters were in no better shape; bleary-eyed, slumped shoulders, and a desire to just sleep.
And slept they did.
When the next morning dawned, a sense of apprehension gripped Elizabeth's heart. What if everything they had learned weren't enough to get them into a university? They didn't have a proper education, and five months seemed pitiful in comparison to the usual length that ordinary people spend in studying.
Her heart was hammering as they descended the stairs. Valiant, though still tired, skipped down the steps with a massive grin on her lips. Elizabeth wished she could share her sister's excitement, but only nervousness filled her heart.
Franceska was waiting by the table, as always. Her smile greeted them when they entered, taking a sip of her tea. In her lap was an envelope. "Good morning!" she said.
"Good morning, Miss Franz!" Valiant said cheerfully, plopping down on a chair. "What a lovely morning today."
"Lovely indeed." She dipped her head as Warspite made the same greeting.
Elizabeth sat opposite her, spearing a golden-brown toast with her fork. There was no sign of Elisa. "Where's Eli?"
"She left early. But she wrote a note on the fridge," Franceska said.
Elizabeth sighed. She had been hoping that their sister would be here for this milestone in their lives. But perhaps that was asking too much. Besides, she and the others would have to get used to this once they were in London.
"Excited to find out if you passed?" Franceska asked with a smile.
"Yes." It was a half-hearted answer, though.
"You don't sound like it."
Valiant snickered. "She's afraid that she won't surpass me."
Elizabeth shot her a glare, but said nothing. At least she didn't look like an idiot drooling in her sleep. Munching on her toast, she chewed for a minute before saying, "It's not that I'm not excited. It's just…"
"You don't know if this is the right path."
Elizabeth sighed, and nodded. "I don't know if this will be worth it."
Studying, working, then studying again for years, and then finding more work. Were those the only things humans spend their lives with? She supposed finding a hobby she was truly interested in, and finding love perhaps, were part of the list, but she found those oddly… unappealing.
For what purpose was she reborn? Again that question filled her mind. There had to be something more to her life than just doing what other people had already done.
"Does it matter?" Franceska said. Her eyes glimmered as she regarded Elizabeth. "Take this from someone who had faced the same predicament as you are facing now. Whether it's all worth it or not doesn't matter. What matters most is what you can get from your experiences, and the glory that awaits you at your destination."
"Glory, huh?" Elizabeth murmured. If there was glory to be had in this, she certainly hoped it wouldn't end up like before, when the shame of defeat clung to her like a leech.
After breakfast, they moved to the study, sitting across from Franceska. Elizabeth's churning stomach had settled somewhat, but a blanket of apprehension still draped over her as she watched her tutor opened the envelope.
"It shall be fine, sister," Warspite assured her, squeezing her hand briefly. Elizabeth smiled at the gesture and nodded. Yes, it shall be fine.
Carefully, Franceska laid down the results of their studies in a neat row—four months of a specialized program meant to accelerate their education of the modern world, and to prepare them for stepping onto it.
Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth reached for the result in front of her. Such a strange notion of relying on a piece of paper to dictate their future. But she supposed that was how everything worked when you were a human.
Her eyes scanned the page thrice before she could believe her eyes.
Her GPA was 3.2.
"I've got 3.1," Valiant announced smugly.
"So did I," Warspite said.
"What?"
Their conversation was background noise to Elizabeth as she stared numbly at her test result. 3.2. She did it. She passed. After all those nights pouring over the books in the library, after all those lessons, it was finally over, at least for now.
Her eyes found Franceska's, and there was only one question in her mind.
"I guess this is farewell then?" Elizabeth asked. Her sisters looked at her.
Her tutor smiled faintly. "Not exactly. I shall visit when time permits. Who knows, maybe I'll see you in London if my work takes me there." She sighed. "But for now, yes, this is farewell."
Elizabeth cast her gaze back to the sheet of paper in her hands. She had long known this would happen, but her heart still ached at the thought of parting ways with her tutor. Franceska had become such a fixture in her daily life that a day without seeing her was like a day without seeing the stars.
"Thank you," Elizabeth said as she looked at her tutor. Those simple words weren't enough to fully covey her gratitude, and yet no other words could.
Franceska shook her head, chuckling softly. "I should be the one thanking you. All three of you; my best students." She glanced at Valiant and Warspite, her eyes shining with pride. "You surpassed my expectations, and for that I am happy. But never worry. If you ever need my help, I shall come." She placed a hand in her heart—a vow.
And Elizabeth knew that Franceska would not break it.
###
Their hurried footsteps echoed in the dimly lit hallway of Stonehouse.
"Where did they find her?" Noah asked, lips pressed in a thin line. He wished he could go faster, but that would mean leaving the nurse behind. He may be a Rear-Admiral, but he wasn't rude.
"By the shoreline," the nurse answered. She swallowed. "Just like that girl from before."
In his mind, Noah swore. They found her in broad daylight—an entire working crew cleaning up the beach. He wouldn't be able to contain this anymore.
They stopped at a door. Just next to the one Elizabeth had stayed in when they first found her. What a strange coincidence, a small part of his mind noted. But this was no longer a coincidence.
He glanced at Brian. The lad was nervous, but also intrigued. And who wouldn't be? It should have stopped by now. They thought it would stop the moment Barham and Malaya had never appeared.
It wouldn't stop, that much was clear now.
He took a deep breath and looked at the nurse. "You may go now. We'll take this from here." He narrowed his eyes a little. "I needn't tell you what you shouldn't do."
She bobbed her head quickly. "Yes, Commander. I understand. J-Just press the buzzer if you need anything."
Her head dipped once more, and Noah watched her strode out of sight before turning back to the door.
"Was it necessary to scare her like that, Commander?" Brian asked, frowning slightly. "Other people already saw her."
"One less loose tongue is better than another one, Ensign." He twisted the doorknob and swung inward. The door met resistance.
"Ow!"
Noah swore under his breath as he rushed inside, then stopped. A woman stood before him, rubbing her forehead. Her golden irises met his, and she blinked before smiling nervously.
"My apologies! I didn't realize someone was outside the room," she said, lowering her arm. Then she noticed his uniform. She snapped into attention and saluted, crisp and professional. "Oh! My sincerest apologies, Commander!"
"At ease," Noah said out of habit, stepping inside as Brian closed the door.
"She's not… like Elizabeth and her sisters," his aide muttered.
Indeed, the woman was taller, though her hair, blue as the sea, albeit a tad shade lighter, was just as long as Elizabeth's. Why was she taller? HMS Revenge's hull length was shorter than HMS Queen Elizabeth's by 20 feet.
"Is there something wrong, Commander?" Revenge asked.
Noah shook his head. One mystery at a time. "It's nothing." He cleared his throat, attempting a pleasant smile despite the whirling storm in his mind. "HMS Revenge, am I correct?"
Revenge brightened. She gasped. "You believe me? Oh, thank goodness! The people here thought I'm going mad when I told them my name."
"It's not the first time," he said.
She blinked, retreating a step, her eyes widening. "Do you mean there's… more? More like me?"
Noah glanced at Brian, who shrugged helplessly. With a sigh, Noah smiled tiredly at Revenge and nodded.
"Why don't you take a seat? I believe we have much to talk about."
###
Back in his office, Noah dialed the number. The phone rang three times before a woman's voice said, "Franceska Bridgeman here. Who's ringing?"
Noah hesitated for the briefest moments. He didn't expect to be calling for her sisters' tutor only a month after their education ended, but Franceska had already become quite a family friend in the past few months. There was no one better to teach Revenge, whose knowledge with the modern world was almost on par with Elizabeth's when he first found her.
But what was he going to tell her? Obviously, Revenge didn't share any resemblance with the Queen Elizabeth's. A cousin, perhaps? Or an auntie, as bizarre as that sounded considering how Elizabeth and her sisters were older. At least it was better than calling Revenge a stranger that he just adopted on a whim.
Noah cleared his throat. "Miss Bridgeman, this is Noah Dallimore. I hope you're doing well."
"Ah, Mr. Dallimore! What a pleasant surprise!" Somehow, she didn't sound surprised. "I was just about to go out right now. How are Elizabeth and her sisters?"
"They are doing well, Miss Bridgeman. You are sorely missed, though."
She chuckled. "Well, I'm quite busy these days. I've found a new job nearby. But I shall try to visit." She paused. "So why did you ring?"
"I have another tutoring job for you, if you need extra money."
"Another sister appeared?" Franceska said. Noah could almost see her raising an eyebrow.
"No. She's, ah, a friend's sister. She's suffering from a heart problem, so she hasn't been to school in years." He hoped it was enough to convince her until he could form a better story.
There was a long pause. Noah knew it was absurd, but what choice was left? The alternative didn't sound appealing to him; being called mad wasn't part of his nonexistent bucket list.
"I see." Franceska's voice was soft, almost contemplative. "All right then. I'll accept the offer. May I come tomorrow to discuss the details?"
"Yes. I'll be at the estate by noon. See you tomorrow, Miss Bridgeman."
"See you tomorrow, Mr. Dallimore."
###
Revenge peered outside the car's window with wide eyes. "Commander, is this your house? It's huge!"
"Yes. It's where you'll be staying."
The morning was crisp and clear. Noah didn't expect to leave Devonport so early, but rumors were beginning to float around the base about a beautiful woman in Stonehouse. He had to take away Revenge quickly.
As he got out of the car, he took a good look at the manor. 15 bedrooms, 2 of which were permanently occupied until Elizabeth and her sisters move to London. It was a good thing that the sisters decided to sleep together in the same room, but it was only a matter of time before all of those bedrooms were completely occupied.
He knew, without a doubt now, that more would be arriving. It was a terrifying thought, and dread often grip his chest whenever he imagined England, and the world for that matter, discovering about the girls. He wouldn't be able to protect them.
But he would try.
It was Saturday, so there should be someone in the house. As he rang the doorbell, he glanced at Revenge, who was pinching the fabric of her skirt. "Nervous?" he asked with a smile.
"Yes." She chewed her bottom lip. "I do not know what they'll think of me, given my service history."
"Elizabeth and her sisters are good people. You have nothing to be nervous about."
"I hope so, Commander."
The front door opened, and Valiant stepped outside. Her eyebrows narrowed as she drew nearer. "Noah. Who's she?"
He gave Revenge a glance. She swallowed, but did not speak, choosing to look at her feet. "She's Revenge, Valiant," he said with a sigh.
Valiant's eyebrows reversed, nearly disappearing to her hairline, while Revenge made a sound that wasn't too different from a terrified mouse. She looked at Valiant. "Y-You're Valiant, ma'am?"
The girl huffed. "Obviously."
Revenge saluted with a trembling hand. "My apologies, ma'am! HMS Revenge at your service!"
Valiant blinked, then her eyes drifted back to Noah. "What's wrong with her?"
He cleared his throat. "Perhaps you could open the gate for us so we can talk inside?"
While Revenge babbled a host of apologies to Valiant behind him, Noah strode along the path, his mind racing. Another ship reborn as a human. He had left Brian to monitor the base, but if this kept going, he would have to find a way to prevent the Admiralty from knowing about this.
Laughter reached his ears when he entered the living room. He paused at the threshold. The girls were doubling over in mirth as they faced Franceska, who seemed to have just finished telling a story. Her grin vanished upon seeing him, however.
"Noah!" Elisa rose from the couch. "You didn't mention you'd be arriving early."
He hesitated. Elizabeth and Warspite were staring at him curiously, watching as Valiant passed by and sat beside them, calmly sipping from a teacup. Franceska had an odd gaze, studying him with intensity.
Glancing over his shoulder, Noah frowned. Revenge remained by the doorway, shaking her head. She retreated a step.
"Come here, ah…" He froze. Shit. He hadn't picked a name for her yet.
"Renee," he decided. A choking sound came from Franceska. "Come here, Renee. I'd like you to meet my sisters."
"Who's Renee?" Elisa demanded. She blinked as Revenge approached nervously.
"She's the sister of my friend. Another friend." Noah shot his sister a look. Thankfully, she understood, her mouth parting in shock. Behind her, Elizabeth and Warspite looked just as stunned. "She'll be staying here for a while."
"G-Good morning," Revenge mumbled, wringing her hands. Her eyes darted around, quickly switching from Elizabeth to Warspite, and back again. No doubt she was trying to determine who was whom.
It took several seconds for Elisa to respond. "Good morning, sweetie," she said slowly, smiling. She beckoned to her. "Come, take a seat. Would you like some tea and waffles?"
"Oh, yes! Yes, please!"
As Revenge took a seat beside Elisa, Franceska smiled at her. "You must be my new student."
"New student?" Elizabeth wondered. "You knew about this?"
Noah winced. He had forgotten to tell them about Revenge in his haste to leave quickly. "I'm sorry, Elizabeth. I was in a hurry." He glanced at Franceska briefly, then back again to Elizabeth watching Revenge, studying her. He cleared his throat. "Renee will be studying under Franceska."
"Miss Franz just mentioned that," she said slowly, transferring her gaze to him.
"Yes. And—"
"Mr. Dallimore, we'll need to talk." Franceska stood, staring at him intently. The living room fell silent.
Noah could feel the tension unrolling like a blanket. He tensed. It was coming from Franceska, her eyebrows creased, lips pressed thin. She seemed upset. But why? It was not as if he was not going to pay her. He would even increase her wage.
"Let's go to the library," he said, gesturing with his hand for her to follow. The girls watched with worried expressions.
Once inside the library, Noah took a seat by the nearest table. But Franceska remained standing, glowering at him from the opposite side, her palms flat on the table. "You have to do better than that, Commander."
Noah stiffened. She had never called him that before. "Pardon?"
She sighed. "Do you know what Renee means? 'Reborn'. Don't you think it's a little obvious for a reincarnated warship?"
His heart crawled to his throat. She knew.
The first thought that crossed his mind was to shout for the others; Elizabeth and her sisters, and Revenge, could overpower Franceska easily. All he needed to do was hold her off, even if she pulled a gun at him.
In hindsight, he should have seen the signs from the start—the moment Franceska arrived less than a day after he posted the job offering, her interest with the sisters, her visit to Scotland. She must have been watching them since the beginning.
Then his gaze drifted to her eyes. There was no malice in them, only wariness and disapproval. And now that he thought about it, she could have already reported the sisters to the Admiralty. Why hadn't she yet?
"Franceska isn't your real name, isn't it?" he asked softly.
"No." Amusement danced in her eyes. "I would have preferred Franceen, but my parents thought Franceska is closer to the man I was named for."
Franceska. Francis. Francis Drake.
A chill enveloped him, and he felt as if the room was spinning. "HMS Drake."
Franceska—Drake—grinned. "Indeed, I am. I supposed I should have revealed it sooner, but—"
The door burst open. "I knew it!" Elizabeth cried, her eyes shining with excitement. Behind her crowded her sisters and Revenge, their mouth hanging open. Even Elisa, who stood behind them, looked stunned.
"—I was avoiding that," Drake finished. She smiled at Elizabeth. "You four were eavesdropping. That's an awful habit, you know."
"Because you've been so secretive." Elizabeth strode inside with a huff of annoyance. The others followed. "We were trying to catch you. So that's why you started wearing gloves?
Drake raised a gloved hand, waving her fingers. "You caught on quickly. I wasn't prepared yet to answer your questions. Not until I'm certain."
"Certain of what?" Noah asked, the beginnings of a headache starting to creep in.
"That you are to be trusted, Commander." He winced at her bluntness, but he nodded. He would have done the same. He had been doing the same.
Drake sat down. "You have questions."
The girls sat around the table. Elisa lingered by the door, frowning, then took a seat on a nearby chair. "A lot," Noah said, glancing at Elizabeth. She nodded eagerly—a permission, still too excited to ask the proper questions.
So Noah asked. "You weren't lying in your resumé?"
And Drake told them everything. She told them how her parents had found her ashore—just like the others—and how easily they believed her story. How they raised her as their own daughter, and kept her real origin a secret. How they showered her with love and affection despite that.
"Yet I was lonely," she admitted with a sigh after taking a sip of tea that Elisa had prepared. "I yearned to find out if I wasn't the only one, so I decided to search for others."
"Diid you find them?" Elizabeth asked. But Franceska shook her head.
"I didn't find my sisters, nor any ships from before my time. You are the first one."
"For thirty years?" Noah found it difficult to believe. Elizabeth and her sisters arrived only weeks apart, and they were launched a decade after Drake.
"For thirty years." She paused briefly. "This is just my conjecture, but I believe not all of us were ready to answer the call."
Elizabeth lowered her gaze, deep sadness passing across her eyes. Noah watcher her for a moment, then squeezed her hand. She smiled at him, and drew a breath.
"Do you think we'll be the only ones?" she continued.
"No." Drake glanced at Revenge. "In fact, I found Royal Oak last year."
"You found who?" Noah had to grip the table for support, even though he had been sitting the entire time. The room was spinning again.
"M-My sister?" Revenge repeated.
"Where did you find her?" Noah demanded. He would have known if they had found yet another girl!
"Devonport, but on the other side of the river," Drake said flatly. "You were away though. Thankfully, I had an idea that we are appearing on our launch dates, so I was already waiting." She sighed. "That's why I told you to do better."
Noah dropped his forehead into a palm. Indeed, he needed to do better next time. Otherwise, he'd have a host of curious personnel waiting by the shores everyday. "Where is she right now?"
"She'll be staying at my flat. Revenge, you can visit her any:time you like."
"T-Thank you, ma'am!"
"You two can also visit us any time." He wouldn't let any of the girls remain separated. "How is she?"
"Still adjusting to the modern world, but doing well enough to work. Unfortunately, that's not our biggest problem."
"What now?" he said, exasperated. This time, it was Elizabeth who was squeezing his hand.
"Royal Sovereign." Drake glanced at Revenge again. "I've been trying to get inside Portsmouth, but—"
He didn't wait for her to finish. Rising from his so fast it almost toppled backwards, Noah rushed outside to the phone. It was the weekends, but Edward should still be in his office at this time.
It rang twice before someone answered, "This is Admiral Edward Loughty's office. Who's calling?"
"Eddie," Noah began without preamble. "Sorry for calling, but I need your help."
"Noah? What's this about?"
"Did anything strange happen recently?"
There was a moment's pause from the other line. Noah glanced over his shoulder. The girls crowded behind him, their breaths held in anticipation.
"What kind of strangeness?" Edward asked slowly.
Noah hesitated. How much could he tell him without endangering the girls? They had been classmates for almost a decade, and while they had never been close, he didn't see Edward as someone untrustworthy.
"Anything at all." Noah tried to be vague, hoping it would be enough.
"Anything." Noah heard a rhythmic tapping; Edward's habit whenever hesitation plagued him. "Well, there's one curious thing that happened. We found a strange girl near the docks."
Noah's breath caught. "What does she look like?"
"Oh, she looked British enough. Beautiful and all. Could pass for a model. But that's the strangest thing."
"What?" Behind Noah, the girls leaned closer to better listen.
"Well," Edward said, "she speaks fluent Russian."
On the subject of PR/blueprint ships and ships that haven't been implemented yet but are mentioned in the game.
There is indeed an HMS Drake, an armored cruiser launched in 1901. And that is the basis for this fic's HMS Drake. Basically, if a PR ship shares the same name as a real life ship that was either built or launched, emphasis on launched, then that shipgirl will be reborn. That means, yes, we will see Mommy Friedrich der Grosse and one of Azur Lane's resident yanderes Roon.
But that will also means that I'll probably have to ignore half of Ironblood's and Northern Parliament's roster. At least for now. There will probably come a time when PR ships, the ones that are literally just blueprints, would make an appearance. I can't give any definite answer yet, however.
Now, for the shipgirls that are mentioned but aren't implemented yet. Frankly, it depends on how important they are to the story and the context for their existence. Barham and Malaya, unfortunately, can't be here because the former was only mentioned once or twice in the game, while the latter wasn't even mentioned at all if I remember.
I can't make too many OCs. This entire series will more or less have 300-400 characters, of which only 10-15% will be given a focus on. That's going to be too much for me lol. Moreover, we barely know Barham. Literally nothing, even. And I really want to focus on the 3 QEs as well as the shipgirls the game already have.
With that said, Yamato will definitely appear. She's the one unseen shipgirl that deserves a spot in my fic. (Come on, Manjuu! Give us Yamato already!)
Anyway, lots of things happened in this chapter. There will be several timeskips in the next ones as we begin the College Arc, which I don't want to spend too much time on. Expect some… interesting developments for Elizabeth.
As always, thank you for the support!
04/04/24 EDIT: Fixed an inaccuracy regarding Malaya's fate (it actually should have been Barham who got sank). Thank you for the correction, guest reviewer!