Leaving the commanders office and the main building it was located in was an odd thing for Aggy. She felt elation at finally maybe getting answers, but at the same time was a bundle of barely contained nerves and fears. The fact she was walking out with the of the most prominent Ship-Girls of the royal Navy did not help her worries either, as within a minute of leaving the building she could feel people on the base giving glances their way.
She just hoped the glances were not directed to her or about why she was with them.
"Um, so the Royal Dorms," Aggy began to say uncertainly, stopping when Hood turned to her and just smiled.
"They are not far. You will know them when you see," Hood said simply before smiling again. "Do not worry, there will be a time and place for conversations away from prying eyes soon enough."
"Ah, um okay," Aggy said meekly, a little bit worried that Hood seemed to know exactly what she had been worried about.
"Because all of us Ship-girls are rather well known publicly, many of us have gotten used to being looked at in various ways. And it is also why both of our Dorms, the Royal and Union, have large open area were we can relax together or alone."
"Is that a problem?" Aggy asked. "Needing to find time to be alone I mean."
"Normally it is only an occasional issue, however with more naval personnel and civilians on the base it will likely become a bit more of a problem for some of us who do not deal with such attentions well."
"Luckily the public opinion of most of us in the Royal navy is that of elegant Noble ladies who happen to be warriors on the waves, so the attention we receive is not the same as some of the Union do," Warpsite said with an odd tone that Aggy couldn't quiet place.
"Is it bad?" Aggy ended up asking. "I don't think the Union image of Ship-girls is that bad really I mean."
"It is not the public image, but the image and thoughts of the public below the surface that some of us have, difficulty dealing with," Hood admitted, sounding a little uncomfortable on the subject. She then smiled as they took a corner around a building and some tree's that surrounded it. "There it is, the Royal Navy Dormitories, our home away from home."
Aggy looked ahead expecting a normal dormitory like building, and instead found her eyes going wide at what she saw before her. Sitting there ahead of them, surrounded by beautifully pruned tree's, was a building that looked like a grand mansion pulled out of a movie or a history book. It looked wider than any government building she had ever seen and stood an impressive four stories high with elegantly designed facades and details across the entire structure. The main door, an impressively wide double door that looked to be made of some hardwood, stood under an overhang that was held up by immaculately carved columns of stone.
"That, that's the Dormitories?!" Aggy asked in shock at the grand building ahead of them. "it looks more like a mansion!"
"That is because it is indeed not dissimilar from a mansion," Hood said simply as she continue to walk toward the building, her pace not shifting at all. "How else would all Royal Navy Ship-Girls have rooms within if it was not large enough for everyone and the facilities it would require therein?"
"I think she's more surprised by the size and design. The Union doesn't have this kind of architecture in most places after all," Warspite said simply as eh looked to Aggy. "It's not so bad once you get used to it."
Aggy said nothing as the trip continued to approach the building and quickly made it to the front door. Much to Aggy's surprise, neither Hood nor Warspite opened the door, and after a mere second of waiting both of the doors opened without a noise, allowing all three of them to step in and find a white haired woman in a rather revealing maid outfit standing before them.
"Welcome back, Lady Warspite, Lady Hood," The white haired maid said with a bow to each of them, each motion bringing substantial momentum to her chest, something Aggy couldn't take her eyes off of for a second in awe at their size. "How was your meeting with the commander?"
"It went well considering the agenda Belfast, thank you," Hood said simply.
"Wonderful," Belfast responded as he eyes turned to Aggy, making her feel extremely guilty with what she had just been doing. "And may I ask who it is that is accompanying the two of you?"
"She is-" Warspite stopped and turned her gaze to Aggy, her eyes uncertain, but the question she was silently asking obvious. Aggy shallowly nodded a second later. "This is Agincourt, my Daughter,"
Belfast's expression did not change at all, though her eyes shifted to look at Aggy for a second before they returned to Warspite. "I understand. Do either of you require anything now that you have returned, or shall you be going out again?"
"Agincourt and I shall be going to my room to speak in private," Warpsite said quickly, while Hood then spoke up next.
"While they do that I will require your assistance with Finding Agincourt a room, Belfast."
"Understood, Shall we look into it then?" Belfast asked as she stepped backwards at a slight angle so that she could gesture down a hall.
Hood nodded and then looked to Warspite and Aggy. "We will speak later. Good luck and both of you do your best," She said before walking down the hall, Belfast instantly following behind her a perfect distance that never changed.
"Um, why does the royal navy need Ninja maids?" Aggy asked.
"The Maid corps are well respected and do good work," Warpsite said before sighing lightly. "It is complicated. This way."
"Um, you said we are heading to your, room?" Aggy asked as she looked around at the hallway. Like outside the inside of the building was just as regal. Carpeted floors, wooden walls with immaculate edgings, and even more impressive was that all of the light fixtures appeared to be smaller chandeliers of brass and silver. The halls did feel homier and inviting that the outside of the building, but it still felt a little stiff to her. A little too posh for her upbringing.
"That is correct. We will, should, have privacy there to speak," Warspite said, clearly uncertain about the prospect as Aggy was.
Neither of them said anything else as they moved down the halls and up to the second floor and then further. Eventually they came to a doorway of dark wood, Walnut perhaps, and Warspite opened it and gestured for Aggy to enter ahead of her.
When she entered she found a single room, more massive than any he had ever seen before. A huge bed sat to the left side, wardrobes, mirrors and the like nearby, while to the right seemed to be a sitting area comprised of a large table with couches to two sides and large chairs between them. The amount of spare space in the room was confounding, and the carpeting on the floor was thicker and softer than that out in the hallways. The windows on the far wall were large with thick cream colored curtains framing them, and bright warming light streamed into the room, somehow not blinding the doorway.
"Please, make yourself comfortable," Warspite said as she closed the door behind her as she came in behind Aggy.
"Uh, r-right," Aggy said as she walked over to the sitting area and took a seat on one couch.
A Moment later Warspite took a seat across from her, holding something in one hand. They both were quiet for a time before, silently, Warspite placed the object, a picture frame, face down on the table between them.
Aggy looked at it for a second before realizing what it was for and gently reached out and picked it up, turning it over as she did to reveal a picture of Warspite holding a young baby, and her father standing to the side. Both had brilliant smiles on their faces, and the date written upon the lower corner of the picture was the date of Aggy's birth.
"I still don't know how I feel about all of this," Aggy said uncertainly as she stared at the picture. It was the same as the one she had seen with her father's stuff, though his did not have half of the picture there. The half were Warpsite would be. "I just. . . if i knew I had more family, if I knew-"
"It wasn't easy for us, every week we would talk over radio with each other. Sometimes it was about the war effort, other times it was about things that each of us, and you, had done," Warspite spoke up, her one hand trembling a bit. "When, when the radio stopped connecting it became, so hard." Warspite took a breath and looked up at Aggy, her eyes looking on the b=verge of tears. "You said that jack, your father, passed away. How did it happen?"
". . .his injuries from the war caught up to him," Aggy said sadly as she stared at her father's face in the picture. He was a man who had never seemed to age. Even in the picture he looked as how she had always known him. "He, he collapsed during work and had to be hospitalized. His medications that helped ease the injury were failing to help and he, his body would not keep up. He, he passed away when his brother and I saw him the next day."
"Was it, was it peaceful at least?"" Warspite asked cautiously, hands gripping her tunic tightly.
"He refused any painkiller or medication while in the hospital but," Aggy stopped and sniffed, her tears slipping off her face to her lap. "But he smiled at us. He told me, it would be alright, that he would always be with me. That I'd find the truth, and that he would never stop loving all of us."
Warspite instantly got up and came around the table, sitting down right beside Agincourt and wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pulling her close. "If you need to cry, do so."
"But, but I, it was a while ago I, it's already past it,-"
"Just because it is in the past, does not mean it will not hurt,"Warspite said as tears of her own fell onto Aggy's leg, making her look up at Warspite to see that she was crying as well. "After all, it may be a past to you, but I, this is the first I am hearing of his end. Of the passing, of my love."
Neither was aware of who started it, but the two of them ended up leaning into the other, letting out emotions long withheld without a way to release them. it continued for a time until they both seemed to no longer be able to produce tears, both of them instead shifting to just leaning on the others for a long while, before Warspite finally spoke up calm and quietly. "I know, this will be hard for both of us for everything. But I, will not force you to act any different if you do not want to. It will take time for us both to-"
"its fine," Aggy murmured, just loud enough to be heard, and to case Warspite's eyes to widen and looked to her side where Aggy was resting on her shoulder. "I . . . I know you and dad made the choices you thought were best, even if you didn't like them. I have to live with that, and I have to move forward, and, and I have to keep moving forward, for dad. And for you."
Warspite opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off as a loud knock came from the door to the room.
Aggy instantly tried to move off of Warspite's shoulder, but Warspite placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled. "It's fine. Unless you would prefer not." Aggy looked unnerved for a second but then shallowly nodded and got comfortable, not moving away from Warspite, but making herself look a little bit more calm. "Yes?"
"Lady Warspite, it is Belfast. I have a message for you," Came Belfast from the other side of the door.
"Alright, please come in Belfast," Warspite spoke up.
A second later the door opened and Belfast entered. Her eyes fell upon the two ladies, her expression shifting, ever so slightly, before she bowed. "I pardon interrupting you both, but I have two messages for you."
"And they are?" Warspite asked.
"The first is for Miss Agincourt," Belfast said, causing Aggy to twitch slightly, still unsure of how she felt about the name. "Lady Hood and I have procured you a room and the maids are moving your personal effects from your other room to your new room presently. You may be shown to it at a moment's notice. However the other message is for the both of you. Her majesty Requests both of your presences in the Parlor."
"Oh Bloody Hell," Warspite suddenly said, shocking both Aggy and Belfast visibly.
"Um, is she a problem?" Aggy asked.
"Her majesty is not a problem she is just, rather whimsical," Warspite said in a conflicted tone. "she was the other alongside Hood who knew of you but her opinions on you were, a bit different than your father and mine. You were one of the few things we had disagreements about," she explained before turning her gaze solely on Belfast. "Did her Majesty tell you what she wished to see us for perhaps, Belfast?"
"She did not," Belfast said simply. "She did however request a meal to be prepared for the three of you in the parlor."
"Meaning she has cut away our escape of using dinner," Warspite said with a light sigh. "I am sorry, but it looks like we will be taking dinner with her majesty."
"Well, it can't be that bad, right?" Aggy asked as she looked to Warspite. "I mean, you said she knew about me, so she probably just wants to greet me, right?"
"That is a very likely possibility," Belfast stated.
Warspite let out a sigh and abruptly stood up. "Well, there is no time like the present; you will see what her majesty is like rather shortly. But don't worry; I will not let her subvert mine, or the Commander's promises."
Aggy did not quite understand what Warspite was meaning but simply nodded and stood up as she noticed Belfast move to the side of the door as if waiting for the two of them.
The trio then left Warspite's room and began going down the halls. They descended to the ground floor and headed to the back of the building where they found a pair of doors across from each other. One was a glass door that led to a large garden that seemed to inhabit the center of the building, while the other across from it was a warm door of rose wood, immaculacy carved, with peach colored frosted glass inset in its upper area. Belfast stepped up to the door first and lightly rapped upon it before speaking. "Your majesty, I have arrived with Lady Warspite and Miss Agincourt, as you requested."
"It didn't sound like a request," Aggy muttered, causing Warspite to nudge her slightly.
"The Royal navy is structured not dissimilar from an actual monarchy and nobility with her majesty at the top. Please remember that until it is decided where you stand, that talking out of turn could be problematic," Warspite exclaimed as Belfast was talking though the door.
Aggy wanted to speak, to say something, to comment about what sounded like some four hundred year old noble absurdity. But then she remembered that she was raised in the Union, where the ideals of nobility were very different, and that she was still half Royal herself. Even if she didn't like the sound of it, she still needed to understand it, and that meant holding her tongue.
At least until she understood.
"Excellent, please lead them in then, Bel," Came a voice that sounded both small and haughty all at once from the other side of the door. A voice that Aggy figured was Probably Queen Elisabeth.
Belfast bowed slightly in front of the door before gingerly taking the latch in hand and opening it before stepping in and holding the door for Warspite and Aggy. The room was a moderately sized tearoom with carpeted floors, wood paneling and a chandelier hanging above a polished circular wooden table that could easily fit six or so people. And at the table, facing the door was a young looking woman who in a way looked younger than Aggy or Warspite. She had pale purple eyes framed by long slightly curly blonde hair. She wore an outfit that seemed more like a lengthened corset or bustier than anything, and leaning on the table beside her a staff of some kind that looked regal, but also heavily naval inspired. It was clear by her looks and haughty gaze, and the fact that no one else was in the room, that this was Queen Elizabeth of the Royal Navy.
"You called for us, your majesty?" Warspite asked respectfully as she entered, though to Aggy's surprise she did not bow as Belfast seemed to. Wad it because Warspite was her equal in some way maybe? Because they were the same ship class?
"Of course, please, sit and we shall speak," Queen Elizabeth said as she nodded to the table that currently had three other chairs around it. Omne across from her, and one to each side.
Warspite nodded and slightly turned to Aggy. "Sit to my right," She said as she strode over and sat to Elizabeth's right, leaving the seat to Warspite's right to be across from Queen Elizabeth herself. Having no knowledge of such strange things as noble seating arrangements Aggy did as she was told and took a seat, noticing rather quickly that Queen Elizabeth was taking glances at her out the corner of her eyes even as she looked at Warspite.
"I must say Warspite, you did give me quite a scare. Suddenly running off as you did, I was worried that perhaps we were under attack, but then I am informed you were dragged to my servants office of all places. It is quite a startle."
"I apologize for my abrupt departure; however I was informed that there was business that, while personal, was of great importance that I look into. I could not dally," Warspite responded as the door to the room clicked closed and Belfast crossed the room to what appeared to be a steel trolley with a number of dishes upon it, quickly taking out teacups on plats and placing them o nthe table before the three of them.
"I suppose then that," Queen Elizabeth paused and turned to Bell, giving her a nod before Belfast began pouring tea into her cup. "That your important business that stole you away from our tea this morning was to do with your till now undiscovered Daughter, yes?"
"It was indeed, yes, as you can see," Warspite replied as Belfast came around and filled her cup, then began to move to Aggy's side to do the same.
"Indeed," Queen Elizabeth said as she turned her gaze to Aggy and simply stared at her. Was she supposed to say hello or something? Warspite had told her that talking out of turn could be seen as bad, but did this count as being told to talk? "Well?" Queen Elizabeth said a second later after a bit of silence.
"Your majesty," Warspite spoke up before taking a sip of tea and putting her cup back down on the plate held in her other hand. "I apologize, but must remind you that she was raised in the Eagle union with her father, and as such does know of much of our nuances and expectations."
"Ah, yes of course I was merely testing her, that is all," Queen Elizabeth said before picking up her cup of tea.
"Her majesty is meaning for you to introduce yourself my lady," Belfast said helpfully to Aggy as she poured her a cup, her voice low but warm.
"O-oh," Aggy very quietly said in response, finding it strange. If she wanted her to introduce herself, why didn't she just say so? Aggy squashed that though and looked at Queen Elizabeth who finished sipping her tea and looked at her. "um, My name is Aggy Anderson, it is a pleasure to meet you."
Queen Elizabeth simply looked at her for a moment before letting out a clearly disappointed sigh. "Hardly up to snuff, but I suppose it will have to do for an introduction from one raised in the Union. You did however, make a mistake."
Aggy blinked in utter confusion at Queen Elizabeth's words. Sure it wasn't probably a proper greeting with how the royals always seemed to be super serious and punctual, but it was still a proper polite greeting. "I . . . apologize, but I don't think I did. It was a polite greeting."
"Oh no, the greeting was satisfactory enough for one from the union, something you will need to be taught properly at a later date I suppose. No, you made a mistake in your name," Queen Elizabeth said, causing Warspite to tense slightly, though it was not noticed. "after all, it would not be Aggy Anderson, as you so ineloquently put it, but HMS Agincourt of the Royal Navy, no?"
Aggy felt her body freeze up at Queen Elizabeth's words. The simple word, the tone that made it sound like she was saying it was obvious, the way she completely threw her name, and her father's name, to the side like it was nothing. It made her realize a second later that she hadn't frozen up from shock, but from rage from being utterly denied a very important part of who she was. In fact the part she still primarily considered herself.
"Your highness, it has not been confirmed one way or another what she counts as," Warspite began to say, looking like she was holding back.
"I do not see any reason why anything needs to confirm more than it already has," Queen Elizabeth suddenly stated, interrupting Warspite before she took a sip of tea. "She is your daughter, who was born with a Wisdom cube, and has now returned to us. We merely need repair her cube and she will be whole once more."
"The Commander has decided that she will be undergoing some tests to confirm what she will count as officially and has stated that until such a time she is considered to be a noncombatant," Warspite stated tensely, something that Queen Elizabeth seemed to not notice.
"Then I will speak to him about moving such a formality forward so her proper training in all things can begin. Did my servant perhaps state how long he expected it to take to repair her cube? Do we perhaps know what class she will be? I expect a battleship like ourselves, but if not we will need to decide upon who will train her. In both combat and proper elegance and courtesy I suppose."
"Your majesty, she is not going to be until both the tests are complete, and until the commander makes a decision with her regarding the matter-," Warspite pressed a little harder, almost seeming to grind her teeth together.
"And that is why I need to speak to my servant so that he will move more promptly. There is after all no reason to stand on such a formality when we already know what-"
"Stop it."
Queen Elizabeth stopped and looked at Aggy, her expression one of surprise. "Pardon?"
"Stop it," Aggy said again as she looked down at the untouched tea in front of her.
"Aggy, wait-"Warspite began to say as she somewhat recognized what was about to happen, only for Queen Elizabeth to speak up.
"What precisely are you saying stop to?"
"Stop acting like I am not here!" Aggy nearly yelled, causing queen Elizabeth to jump in her chair a bit, clearly unused to people yelling so close to her. "Stop acting like I have no say in my life, like you can just choose for me like some dictator!"
"What madness has invaded your mind?" Queen Elizabeth asked after a moment of silence. "You are a member of the Royal Navy, so of course we must decide upon issues that are elated to your proper training, both in combat and in how you should properly act as a-"
"Stop acting like I am just a resource for you!" Aggy snapped as she abruptly stood up from her chair, causing it to fall over behind her. "It has not been decided one way or another if I am actually a ship-girl, it has not been decided by the Commander, or by myself how I think I am, and I am not a member of the Royal Navy just because my Mother is!"
"Of course it does," Queen Elizabeth stated simply. "What else could you be when you are Warspite's daughter, and you are here on this base of all places? It is quite evident that you simply do not know yourself as of yet, something that will be rectified once your cube is reformed I suppose and it is made clear to you that you are a member of the Royal navy and-"
"FUCK OFF YOU ARROGANT TWERP!" Aggy screamed before turning and storming toward the door only to stop just shy and look back just enough to see Belfast standing to the side, looking slightly shocked. "Miss Belfast. I apologize for ruining your work. Can you please tell me where my room is?"
Belfast quickly composed herself before turning to look at the table to find Warspite give her a very strong affirmative nod. "Of course miss. And please, you do not need to apologize to one you have not wronged," Belfast said as she stepped up to the door and opened it for Aggy before following her out and closing the door behind them, leaving Warspite alone with a very shocked Queen Elizabeth.
"Well, I never! That girl clearly needs to be properly educated in how to speak to ones superiors and in the matter of how to speak properly for her station. Like really, she is far too rude for her own good, wouldn't you say Warspite?" Queen Elizabeth asked as she looked to Warspite, only to then realize that Warspite was tightening a hand around the table's edge and had cracked it. "Warspite?"
In that next second Warspite pushed her chair back and stood up while holding he left hand out and forming her Rigging's large broadsword in her hand right beside Queen Elizabeth. "Your Majesty, I respect your skill, your intellect and your ability, and you will always be my closest friend, so I will make this clear now as I should have much sooner. Do not make choices regarding my daughter again, and do not speak of her like that."
"What? Warspite, I am merely making sure that she is properly trained for-"
"She still has not wrapped her head around all of this. The possibility of being a ship-girl, my being alive, any of it, and she was not raised in the Royal navy so do not expect she will simply accept everything you say. Do not force her into anything, and do not give order to anyone, including the maids, in regards to her in any way that would force her in any way because the Commander has decreed that ultimately what she does will still be her choice for the most part. Otherwise I may not be able to speak to you for some time."
"What, Warspite, surely you cannot be serious?"
"I am very serious," Warspite said as she dismissed her blade and turned partly away from Queen Elizabeth. "I- we both are working through a lot of things, including our feelings about each other. It was a mistake to let you meet her so soon, and until we work through things I believe it would be best that you do not speak to her at all. I will be taking my leave now."
"Goodness, have all of you been taken by madness," Queen Elizabeth stated as Warspite moved toward the door. "I told you being in a relationship with a man from the Union would invite problems and this simply proves it. You should have taken my suggestion and cut off such an absurd pairing."
"He's d- . . . passed away a few years ago. I only found out today," Warspite said solemnly as she stopped hallway to the door.
"Oh, I see."
"And that is her father, and my Husband you are speaking ill of, your majesty. Just as years before, I will not stand for such a thing."
Queen Elizabeth was quiet as Warspite left the room, leaving her alone in the parlor with a trio of filled cups of tea. "Well," she then sighed to herself. "I appear to have mucked that up grander than I thought possible by letting my feeling on the matter dictate my words. Oh dear."
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Authors note: sorry about the delay for this (and other stories) chapter, Life decided to make things complicated in November so I got absolutely nothing done last month. Now I have time though, so yaaa!
And holy crap I did not think writing the royals could be this nerve wracking! I hope they don't feel too off to anyone, even with the alterations to how they might act due to Agincourt's existence.
I hope everyone like the chapter, until next time!