"The Kingdom of Sharem and the Emerald Moon Government:
Within the Mox Well continent, the kingdoms of Ifritz, Undinia, Woltz, Gnottus and Sharem exist in an alliance with each other, but their governments each have their distinction. Each one has a deep affinity towards one of the six Elemental gods and their influence on the planet, and it dictates their ruling method, some being more conservative and closer to a more rigid monarchy, while others have a more progressive republic that works together with the noble houses of old.
Ifritz, for example, similar to the Kingdom of Karash, is ruled by a King that has the support of his Counsel, its members belonging to both the nobility and the common people, the latter gaining their seats thanks to public vote, which grants them incredible influence, despite their lower birth; Woltz and Undinia's kings are those who've reached the highest military status within their armies; and Gnottus' rulers are entirely dictated by the people's favor.
Sharem has its own unique method of ruling: its populace is split in two sorts of people, born from one of the two ancient tribes that once inhabited its territory thousands of years ago: the Darkus tribe and Lightus tribe. Despite those born under those Elements having gone practically extinct after the war against the Darkness at the genesis of Gaia, their influence is still widely regarded in both the kingdom's folklore and politics.
Since the end of the the Genesis War, within each generation, the leaders of each tribe would come together and engage in a fierce battle for supremacy. For only one tribe could rule the kingdom for a given time. It was a process called the 'Dawn and Twilight Government', due to the tilting of the social scales towards either night or day that the competition's, dubbed the 'Sun and Moon Gauntlet', winner would bring about.
If the Darkus tribe won, for example, they would rule the kingdom while keeping the Lightus tribe under their thumb. Come next generation, the Darkus ruler's heir would be up for the Gauntlet, to face the heir to last generation's loser or whoever rose to power during that time, for it was not uncommon for insurrections to take place within the losing tribe, seeking stronger leadership in the order to win the next Gauntlet.
The Dawn and Twilight Government method kept being the rule for nearly ten thousand years, until this most recent generation saw an historical upset, brought forth by the most recent competitors for the Gauntlet.
The Lightus tribe, who had won the previous three bouts, hoped to send their eldest heir, Prince Freyr of Sharem, to competition, but he had tragically lost his life while fighting in the BladeMaster War.
The rulers were in dismay, for Freyr's strength matched even those of rising figures in the War, like Attila the 'Flashfire Emperor' from the neutral Soula, Prince Maximilian IV from Karash and Prince Klaus from Ifritz.
The tribe was so confident in Freyr's victory that his twin sister, Princess Freya, had her hand given in an arranged marriage to Maximilian, prior to the Gauntlet, as a way for the Lightus faction to amass even more influence and good faith across the planet, as the War was nearing its end. So, since she was already, in a sense, 'tied' to a foreign power, she was barred from fighting in the Gauntlet. The competitors should only represent Sharem and no other country, regardless of their heritage.
As such, the only other suitable candidate for the Gauntlet was the youngest princess of the tribe, Princess Sheeva, daughter of the then ruling king's second wife. Despite her mother becoming the official royal consort after Freyr and Freya's mother passed away, the new queen was viewed negatively by the older, more conservative populace and Sheeva was simply seen as a black sheep and no better than a bastard child to them. As such, she was barred from many benefits of the Lightus' tribe's court, including not being given a royal epithet to be officially known by, similar to her half-siblings.
Meanwhile, on the Darkus tribe, the sole heir was Princess Carmilla. Taught in the ancient spiritual ways of the tribe, her outings in the War had given her a frightful reputation within Sharem's enemies. Her Darkus tribe royal epithet was 'Medea' and, much like the enchantress from the fairy tales of old, her talents lied in fortune telling in the form of cartomancy, many rumors spreading about how she could see the future with her cards with more clarity than one could see the present with their own eyes.
A surefire victory for Darkus seemed to be eminent. But on the day of the Gauntlet, neither Sheeva nor Carmilla could be found. The whole of Sharem was in disarray, afraid that a sinister plot by the intruding Karash, the Samurais, a nomad barbarian tribe or even the Clear Souls terrorist group that had been making waves across the continents, purging those suspected of being believers of taboo elements, had reaped the lives of the young women in order to leave Sharem without a ruler.
But suddenly, the princesses made their presence known. Hand in hand, they entered the packed up arena where they would fight in.
Without a word to justify her absence, Princess Carmilla, seen as the superior competitor, took a bow and admitted defeat towards Sheeva.
Before the crowd could collect their breath, Sheeva mimicked Carmilla's movements and admitted her defeat as well.
And then, they exchanged their tribes' traditional engagement rings and professed their equal love in front of everyone. It was an unprecedented result to have a Gauntlet result in a tie.
Through a whirlwind of rage and controversy, Sheeva and Carmilla, now bound in matrimony, burst through the storm and rose to power as Queens of both of their tribes and the whole kingdom of Sharem, shattering the Dawn and Twilight Government.
Queen Sheeva was given a royal epithet from the Darkus Tribe, becoming known as 'Ariadne', and both queens then worked to institute a new ruling method, dubbed the 'Emerald Moon Government'.
This new government would abolish the generational battle and unite both tribes, not just in an alliance of two separate entities, but an outright fusion of both people, so that the kingdom of Sharem would be divided no more."
-From the "Lore and Customs of Mox Well" by Eldus Egas.
*
"Um..."
Agatha and her son stood in place, the slow blinking of their eyes painting a picture of sheer confusion across their faces towards the dazzling woman who haughtily laughed in front of them.
-"Hohoho"...?- Agatha repeated, tiling her head to the side.
A heavy silence crashed upon Madame Ruby Scheherazade and her entourage, like the entire ship they had come out of had just landed on top of them. Standing in place with her arms open, the lady herself couldn't help but let the corner of her lips twitch in sudden fear, her complexion becoming paler by the second.
One of her maids, one wearing her golden locks in a bun tied by a black ribbon, approached her from behind. Reaching towards her skirt, she placed a firm pinch on the madame's butt through the fabric, causing her to tremble in place.
-My lady, you'll have to forgive them. Your dazzle tends to be on the wrong....fffffffffrequency sometimes, so it leaves them without reaction~- she gave a polite but venomous smile to the platinum haired dame.
Scheherazade's eyes regained some light.
-Oh, then I'll repeat it for my darlings: my sweetums of Kolimbra...LET YOURSELVES INTO MY ETERNAL SHINE!
"Foh foh foh foh foh!"
Suddenly, like turning on a dial, Agatha and her son's eyes widened and their lips curled up in pure awe.
-It IS you, Lady Scheherazade!- Agatha clasped her hands together- Gods almighty, to what do we owe the pleasure of this meeting?!
If they could groan, the sound that would leave the silently cringing entourage would echo all the way towards the Order Tower...
*
-Lady Ruby Scheherazade?- Noah repeated- I could have sworn I heard that name before...
-It just shows you're paying attention to class. That or you spotted her on a magazine during your trips to the hair salon, dragged by Lucy. She's an uber influential fashion designer and also an important political figure of the Sharem court, brought in from the Lightus faction.- Axel explained.
-Wait, they brought her into the roundtable because she's in the fashion industry?- the blonde boy replied, as he watched Mercedes pace around the ship, a disgruntled look on her face as she checked the seats and cabinets, looking for something...
-Well, she IS the Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sharem IS known for its fashion industry, after all. Besides, she's also a huge humanitarian, helping victims of the BladeMaster War and funding the restoration of historical artifacts found all across Gaia. It's partly thanks to her that the Darkus and Lightus factions of Sharem could even settle with Queens Carmilla and Sheeva towards finally deciding what year on the calendar it even is. Despite the royal wedding binding both tribes, there's still a bunch of friction between them, and a member of Lightus bravely venturing into "enemy" territory, in order to better the culture, basically made her a national heroine. - the Mistral-born explained.
-Okay...but why impersonate her specifically?- Noah inquired, arms crossed in stubborn confusion.
-Here you go.- Mercedes interjected, walking away from an open cabinet carrying a small pile of magazines. From it she gave Noah one of them, a magazine named "Shogue", aimed at women of all ages with all sorts of articles about fashion and celebrity gossip.
Noah took the magazine and right in the cover, he could see...
-Lucy..? Oh...oooooh..!- his let out, the realization soon dawning on him.
For, indeed, the magazine cover featured a woman in a gigantic and gigantically haughty deep blue dress, waving at crowds of people as she walked through a red carpet towards some sort of fabulous event. She sported long platinum hair, lavender eyes and her haughty grin amidst all the glitz of her makeup and jewelry seemed, not just familiar, but almost traumatizing.
-She really looks like Lucy, but in a big fancy dress!- Noah nodded.
-Ayup, it's almost uncanny how the Soul Core produced these two to be so similar yet have them born so far apart from each other. If I didn't know better, I'd say they were long-lost twins.
-Or clones...-Zeke said, peeking over Noah's shoulder- I can just hear the foppish laughter through the picture...
-Doesn't she have a good ten years, at least, over you, though? And are you sure you want to be more cake-faced than you already are?- Allie asked, borrowing the magazine from Noah and looking at Lucy, who rummaged through the War Chest, with a raised eyebrow.
-Come now, a woman that was born under the same lucky star for beauty as moi naturally conserves her looks. Madame Scheherazade has gone on record defending that she tries to have her makeup only accentuate her beauty, not create any from thin air.- Lucy replied with a smug smirk- To test this, they had her servants throw a bucket of water at her face on a live television broadcast, to show just how little she had on.
-Her servants? I watched that broadcast and remember it was Queen Carmilla who came in running with the bucket at the last second...-Rye mused.
-No, that was Queen Sheeva who suddenly showed up with the second bucket, after the servants had thrown the first!- Mercedes retorted.
-Well, technically there were three buckets.- Lucy giggled- Poor Madame was like a drenched rat by the end!
-What a ridiculous court...-Merceny shook his head- It's fitting, though, as the whole of Sharem is more than a bit strange. The highest number of national holidays, a loud festival almost every week, more than a bunch of eccentric artists that make the rounds throughout Gaia, selling out all foreign venues...Don't they even have a bunch of nudist beaches there?
-Lucy, next time you go on a mission to Sharem, invite me!- Gee quickly pipped up as he quickly raised his hand. Then he quickly looked towards the female Elite duo- Or, if we lose and the Order moves their conquest to Mox Well, you can just take me, as a POW, with the ladies' team!
Allie sighed with a coy smile before flicking the Master in the forehead, and then turned towards Lucy again:
-Well, if we don't care about ages, are you sure it's not better to have someone with actual experience in acting take the lead role? Or, at least, you can pretend to be someone more believable to be in the boonies of Karash, like, I dunno, Queen Freya or Princess Helena.
-Oh yes, Miss Sour Dour Princess Helena that hasn't left the royal castle since that "brief" unsolicited vacation period 13 years ago is totally going to be jaunting around Karash. I'm sure ya'll in the Order would love to have such a free hostage. And I'd rather dye my hair vomit green than impersonate that hag Freya...- Lucy cringed.
-Hag that is both prettier and better-off than you, with a hunk of a hubby and a whole kingdom, but sure...-Allie mumbled as she rolled her eyes.
-Besides, Scheherazade is perfect for being here! She's always running off in lavish vacations across Gaia. Remember last year, when she commandeered that cruise ship in Gnottus "for the sake of magnificence, to search for the oasis of beauty"? It was all over the news, Queen Sheeva couldn't apologize enough for her Minister's reckless ship steering during the press conferences.-Lucy pointed out.
-Wasn't she on the verge of bursting into laughter during that interview? Pretty sure Sharem loves the drama...-Eldus shook his head.
-So yeah, we're going with Ruby Scheherazade having an impromptu vacation in Kolimbra!- Lucy declared, taking command of the situation (in her eyes, at least), as she climbed atop one of the passenger seats, the young woman facing the crew and pointing at the group in an authoritative fashion - You all will play the part of her entourage of maids and butlers! So you will have to be glitzy like her, for the madame prides herself in her chickadees wearing stuff from her fashion line!
With that, she jumped from the seat and took the magazine from Allie's hands, opening it on a page of the article where Madame Scheherazade could be seen in the Sharem court with a veritable army of servants right behind her. Dressed in frilly black and white dresses and sharp dark suits, this pit stop before the raid had taken a turn to the incredibly formal...
*
-I must say, Madame Scheherazade-- -Agatha began speaking as she tried putting her recently popped-out dentures back in place.
-Please, honey. You can call me "Ruby"~ -"Scheherazade" gave her a coy smile as she reached into her dress's pocket and produced a lacy red fan with a puffy top end of lavender fur, which she opened and began waving in front of her face.
-A-as you wish...I-I must say, Ruby---
-Lady Ruby. Oh, you make me feel ever so shy, treating me so casually~ But if it's just you...maybe my maiden's heart can endure...~ -"Ruby" winked, hiding herself behind the fan as she let out a cutesy giggle.
-Oh my...-Agatha sighed in delight as the aristocrat's wily remarks, said with such confidence and grace, pierced her right through her elderly heart with ease- I just...wonder what such a magnificent presence such as yours is doing in this dusty ol' town, so far from the glamour of Sharem..!
Lucy chuckled, fanning herself slowly.
-Hogwash, this is a charming lil' town! And that's precisely what I was looking for! The royal court can be ever so stuffy, unable to hold my shine within its confining halls. Now this town, where the winds blow so free...ah, I feel like I can stretch myself quite nicely for a change of pace! As such, I was wondering if you'd be able to give me and my sweeties accommodation at your fair inn, at least for a few nights? We'll pay for everything, of course.
Agatha quickly nodded, throwing her whole upper half up and down in repeated bows.
-Of course you can! We'll get ready to take you in right away!- she then turned towards her son, who still was vacantly staring at the "noble", and smacked his arm- Cease your drooling and begin arranging the lodgings for Lady Ruby and her entourage!
With that, the man jolted in place and quickly scurried over inside the inn, afraid of his mother's fiery lashing.
Soon enough, the group's presence began attracting the local populace. The sheriff and the rest of the town guard kept everyone from going past a certain distance towards Ruby and her servants, gasps and gabbing whispers filling the air.
"Such shining beauty!"
"I wonder if she can give me an autograph?"
"I want a picture instead!"
Meanwhile, Lucy could only widen her smile at all the attention, not an ounce of guilt from her shameless impersonation, as she couldn't keep herself from throwing waves, winks and blowing kisses at the townspeople, who would squeal at the perfect ruse they were ensnared in.
"Ah, but her entourage is so beautiful as well!"
"Such dapper gentlemen! Such fair maidens! We commoners could never compare!"
The tall and muscular maid with the curly brown ponytail leaned back to whisper to another maid around her age. Unlike her, this maid had a shorter dress, going up to just below her knees and sported long golden locks she had to constantly adjust so the wind wouldn't make them fall off.
-Geez, she must be loving this, huh, Allie...
-It's her narcissistic fantasy come true, Terri. As the strongest BladeMaster, she's more feared than revered, so she must be crying inside at all the love, even if it's unwarranted.
-I can foresee a lot of her haughty laughter today...-Terri sighed.
-Honestly, I'd rather deal with that than these stares...I'm afraid they'll see right through us, since the servants aren't as famous...-a shorter butler said, wearing a black bowl-cut wig and black shorts instead of the sharp dark pants the others wore.
-Well, with your height, I wouldn't put it past them, Sobek.- Terri smirked at him.
Sobek puffed his cheeks.
-Tsk. Meanwhile, you're practically unrecognizable without your leotard. When's the last time you wore something not revealing..?
-Missing my butt already?- Terri chuckled, holding her skirt and flowing it from side to side- Besides, I like wearing anything that lets my legs breathe. I prefer the leotard, but as it doesn't constrict me, like pants, I don't mind skirts~
-Meanwhile I'm only getting the side-eye from certain people...-Allie sighed.
-That's what you get for wearing that wig...- a younger butler said, his suit impeccably sharp, his light lilac hair swept back.
-Sorry, all the others in the War Chest were so uggo...-Allie clapped her hands apologetically before looking behind Axel -But aren't we missing someone?
-Lucy wanted the disguise to go full-throttle, so of course it'll take some time getting used to it, but I didn't expect it to take this long...-Axel sighed.
Suddenly, the populace would let out a collective gasp. Carrying a wicker basket with her, a young woman descended from the ship. Her maid uniform long, fluttering gracefully behind her, much like her auburn locks, which flowed majestically with the wind, tied into two long pigtails by a big black lacy bow each. Sporting an incredibly fair skin and delicate face, accentuated with a dash of dark eye shadow around the eyes, front and back for a feline-like trait, alongside a bit of blush on the cheeks and dark purple lipstick.
She gave the crowd an uninterested look as she walked along the red carpet. Reaching into the basket, she began throwing cherry blossoms atop the entourage.
The crowd erupted in cheers and squeals at the presence of this mysterious late-comer maid, enraptured by her dark beauty...
"I've never seen this maid in Lady Scheherazade's entourage..!"
"The way she launches daggers from her eyes, like we're mere bugs...I certainly would never forget that!"
"She seems to be part of the younger portion of the servants, but sticks out so much...could she perhaps be Lady Ruby's daughter, brought in to gain work experience at her mother's side?!"
"No way! Lady Scheherazade's hand in marriage is one of Gaia's 'Seven Sacred Treasures'! No man can wrangle her for more than three months before they run away, scared by her dazzle! And no way she'd have a child out of wedlock, as dramatic as that sounds! Her maiden's heart would never allow that!"
"They seem around the same age, so maybe I should set up my son with her...Do maids and butlers allow dating?"
-A little late, aren't we? You're supposed to be in the middle section of the group and join the twins in throwing the petals as the main star is walking along the red carpet, not after she stopped in place!- Axel whispered as the maid joined up with the rest of the entourage.
-Until you walk a step in my heels, you hush your mouth, ya goober.- she replied, still throwing the petals atop the group.
-You seem more energetic than usual, though...-a rounder butler snickered, his black blazer open and with his black hair brushed to the sides- Are you enjoying this?
-You say that, Guy, but the ones that won't stop staring are you two. Charmed by my beauty? There's nothing Zeke Truesdale can't master if he tries a bit.- he said, giving one of her pigtails a smug flip, the crowd yelling even more at the debonair maid.
-It's going to take a few miracles for us to master this performance...-Axel shook his head with a nervous chuckle- We barely even made it out of the ship with our wits about us...
*
With the aid of Lucy's disguise War Chest, the group began gathering suitable clothing and changing into it, the lid of the Chest being taken out of the box and expanded into a partition placed in the middle of the ship's deck to separate men and women.
-I'm starting to think Lucy has been wanting to pull off a scheme like this for a while.- Master Rye would say as he'd examine the butler tuxedo he was given to wear, examining and tugging at the jacket's sleeves- Why else would she keep multiple servant outfits, of various sizes, on her disguise chest?
-I personally think she's just very well prepared~ -Master Gee said, a comb in his hand as he sat in front of a small mirror that had been retrieved from the War Chest as well, trying to come up with an alternative hairstyle for his dark blue hair, now freed from its tying and its long locks falling behind his back.
-And I personally think you're just a "bendy felly".- the grizzlier master retorted as he ripped the jacket's sleeves off - Much better.
His pleased expression was then dashed upon when the clipboard with the War Chest's contents was thrown right at the back of his head. Seemingly having thrown the object without even having to look from behind the partition, Lucy's voice could be heard from beyond it:
-You rip, you pay, Master Rye! And I'll have you know, every one of these cost a pretty coin from the Moru siblings over at the commercial district!-she was heard hissing- And people say I only spend money on myself. Hmph! I'm the fairy godmother of Angel's Crow!
-More like the pumpkin carriage, but sure...- Allie's voice was heard, followed by a snicker and then an array of tumbles and grunts from both women.
-Well, for as dumb of a plan as this is, at least we can bring an ounce of class into this Brigade...- Hanzo said, dressed in a sharp tuxedo, his jacket buttoned all the way up and sporting a long coattail. As he spoke, he'd tighten the white gloves he had put on his hands.
-Dully agreed.- Merceny replied, his uniform a near-mirror of the Diamond's.
-Wowie, I never took you for the formal wear type, Merceny!- Axel said, as he buttoned up his white undershirt.
-Some missions, especially those where we guild members have to enter the Karash royal palace to deliver a bounty, demand us to spruce up a bit.
-Oooh, have you ever seen any of the royalty?- Guy asked, eyes shining as he tied his bow tie into a simple and innocent knot.
-Once.- Mercedes' voice could be heard from behind the partition- Me, Brother and Lucy gained a short audience with His Majesty Maximilian, last year.
-Wow!- Guy exclaimed at the partition- And how was it? I never really saw the King in person, myself.
-Well, firstly, he's really much taller than on pictures. -she replied- Bigger...presence as well. It's like his figure alone kind of envelops you around a big warm blanket. But for his enemies...I can see it as being suffocating, like you're drowning in a sea that matches that onyx colored hair of his...it's no wonder that he rivaled Attila during the BladeMaster War...
-I wonder if they go to the same stylist...both do like to rock the "long-straight-dark-colored-hair-plus-beard" combo. Although King Maximilian's hair has a bit more a dark blue tint to it, while Attila's was dark brown...-Terri mused- Care for an input, Eldus?
-Don't ask me.- Eldus replied, chuckling, the Sage sitting down on one of the ship's seats, as he braided his long silver beard, that matched his long grizzled locks, into a massive and complex ensemble. - Guess powerful men tend to look similar, although, thanks to my staff's Enchant Stone, my once chocolaty locks were "vanilla-fied"...
-Anyways...- Mercedes piped up again- We mostly spent the audience trying to keep Lucy from jumping into his arms, but when we were about to leave, we did get to meet Queen Freya and Princess Helena as they came to see us off.
"As for the queen, the magazine photos really don't do her justice. She has this gentle and bright presence about her. And that shiny hair too...It's funny how the royal couple ended up contrasting each other, with Her Majesty having those long and jagged golden locks of hers, each upturned lock looking like it was crafted with the surgical precision of a doctor...
Kinda gives her a bit of a rebellious side, if you ask me. It shows that she really is the boisterous Queen Sheeva's older sister and someone who did fight in the BladeMaster War...
Coupled with her confident gait and a resounding voice that didn't need to scream to match the King's boisterous laughter, I really felt at ease around her in the court, but I wouldn't want to see her on the battlefield. She matched His Majesty with this sensation of kindness and power both separated by a thin wall of glass...
Honestly? I was starstruck~!"
-Geez, why don't you go be a Karashian knight if you like that pine tree-looking woman so much...-Lucy was heard grumbling.
-Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.-Mercedes quickly replied, making Lucy squeak in shock- And she didn't break her smile the tiniest bit as you kept making eyes at the King. Clearly, you should learn from someone so composed and mature as her.
-Emphasis on "mature"...She and Scheherazade may be around the same age, but I have no interest in being that granny...-Lucy huffed.
-Uh...you said that Princess Helena was there too, right? The "Miss"..."Sour Dour", as Lucy called her..?- Noah asked while he tried to find a way to implement his goggles into his butler look, switching from wearing them on top of his head as usual, or around his neck as a replacement for a bow tie- Why is she called that? Does she love lemons that much?
-Nah. It's because, 13 years ago, when the princess was 4 years old, she and the royal family went to Sharem for a meeting with the Queens. But suddenly, the princess up and disappeared on them. Both courts spared no energy in trying to find her and scoured every corner of the country in their search, fearing she had been kidnapped.- Merceny replied.
-No way! Did Queens Sheeva and Carmilla kidnap her?!- Noah gasped.
-There was a brief period were the Queens were placed under intense suspicion of that, yes.- Eldus replied.
"But both Sharenian and Karashian courts found no motive for Queens Sheeva and Carmilla to kidnap their niece, and so every member of her kingdom's military force, including the secret services and even Lady Scheherazade, were then questioned thoroughly by both kingdom's investigators.
Afterwards, both parties concluded that it must have been a third party, like the Clear Souls zealot terrorist group. They were quite active during that period of time and had a strong distaste for anything involving unions of Lightus and Darkus, and were no strangers to taking up hostages of people they considered "impure", from all across Gaia.
Even nowadays, after the main group was destroyed, their religious fanatic remnants still try to revive their efforts, causing all sorts of bloody hate crimes around Gaia. There are even rumors that some members are of noble blood and part of various royal courts, like Karash's own, which facilitate their ventures."
To this, Merceny replied with a grim nod.
Eldus continued:
-But...after a year passed, little Helena reappeared at the shores of Sharem. Her usual bright complexion was void of much color, eyes steeped in the deepest of darknesses, matching the long onyx locks she inherited from her father. She looked like she had returned from the bowels of Hell.
"The poor princess returned to her home in Karash and underwent extensive psychological treatment, to both try to heal whatever afflicted her and to find out who had taken her. Various tests were made to see if anything triggered her trauma, like letting her lay eyes on the Sharenian Queens, for example, but nothing surfaced.
Even I was called in, years ago, to use my Sage knowledge to see if she had been put into some kind of hypnotic spell, only to find nothing. Her soul power was...eerily still, like a calm lake.
To this day, we still don't know what happened to her. As for Helena herself, she's a young woman of few words, no one having seen her smile ever since. Much like her pale complexion, she looks like...a vagrant spirit. 'Miss Sour Dour' is one of the nicknames she picked up in the meantime.
Presently, there's tension in the air within the Karashian court, regarding if she's in the right mental state to become a suitable official candidate to the throne, once she becomes of age next year. Nor do they think she's in a proper state to meet any young noble suitors to try and begin a courting process, so they can institute a King instead, after a royal wedding."
-A ghostly pale lady with long dark locks, you say..?- Noah inquisitively tapped his own chin, before his gaze and index finger suddenly turned towards Zeke, who quickly shook his head, denying the suspicions formed on the blonde's head.
-But "Sour Dour"? Geez, a bit mean spirited to call the poor lass that, huh, Lucy?- Sobek shot at the partition as he was stepping into his black shorts.
-Every other nickname I've heard is either a sappy one from the nobles who love her like a martyr figure, or rife with derogatory terms from the capital slums, to which I'd rather not expose our little Noah's ears to.- she replied with a casual tone.
-Not everyone can deal with the horrors of humanity's evils with the same lackadaisical attitude you sport, Crow.- Hanzo shook his head in disapproval.
-Oh, aren't you suddenly a knight in shining armor. Aren't you guys at the Order supposed to be fighting the Kingdom? For all I know, half of the insults thrown at Princess Helena probably come from within the Tower!- Lucy's hand could be then seen peeking from the top of the partition, pointing accusingly towards Hanzo- But since you're sooo nice, care to share some of that kindness with the rest of the class, ya little edgy ice cube?
-After what we all discussed in the last meeting back at Soula, are you even worthy of such kindness..? Perhaps the one that should be put in a mental asylum is you.- he retorted with an icy glare towards the partition.
-Why, you precious little..!- she growled, the sound of her stomps being heard as she was making her way around the partition, but then would be heard being dragged away further into the girls' section.
-If the boys can't peek into our side, the same should apply to us girls, Lucy.- Terri could be heard- Especially as you're still improper.
-When is she ever proper?- Mercedes retorted.
-Let's put the heavy talk aside and tighten up this corset.- Terri continued- You said you wanted it as tight as possible, right?
-Yeah, enough to really bring the girls up as much as possible! Damn that Ruby for being blessed with some extra cups! Every rare facet that does differentiate us I must ensure isn't used to find me out!
-Jealous...-Mercedes mumbled.
-Oh, yet I have a sneaking suspicion that purple skin is not something Miss Scheherazade is rocking for this Aqua Cycle. Every heard of stuffing?- Allie asked.
-I am not adding anything! What if we get into some altercation and it spills out?! I'm using what the gods gave me and that's final! Now pull, Terri! Put your foot on my back if you have to!
As such, the guys would then hear an array of grunts and groans from behind the partition.
-Ooof!!! Grr, Cidy, grab my hands and pull me forwards!- Lucy grunted.
-What a delightful torture method...Oddly old-school~-Allie responded with a giggle, as she commented on Mercedes apparently doing what she was asked of, judging from the increase of Lucy's grunts of protest.
-There...we...go..! Yes, rise my pretties! I don't drink my daily milk so you could shrivel and die in flat obscurity! No no no no, don't spill out! No peeking! You're to be in the Scheherazade-patented line of underwear, not to try and weasel out!
-Jealous...-Mercedes grumbled again.
-Allie, don't just stand there, stuff them back in!- Lucy exclaimed only to then giggle-Pftt...heeheehee! T-that tickles..!- she'd squeak out.
-Fufufu~! Oh me oh my, are we witnessing the birth of a new proclivity~?- Allie giggled back- And in public as well..! I wonder what the boys back there think, hearing such a mess~
Needless to say, a mix of emotions lingered on the boys' side of the partition: Eldus, Rye, Axel and Guy looked away with various degrees of red on their faces (although Eldus' blush was more from him trying to hold his laughter in, hands covering his mouth); Merceny and Hanzo gritted their teeth as they could only cringe in embarrassment; and finally, Noah looked around the group in innocent confusion.
And soon, every gaze would then quickly focus on Master Gee, but the blue haired skirt-chaser would only brush his hair faster while peering at the mirror, gaze full of renewed focus. As he noticed all the stares directed at him, he'd grimace.
-Yeah, not touching that with a ten meter stick. That is not a garden of flowers, but a field of thorns! It'd only spell more trouble for me! My bounty should only increase because of cool BladeMaster-ing!- he'd protest, blowing a raspberry as he sighed.
-Much appreciated.- both Merceny and Rye said, in unison, as each shook one of the younger Master's shoulders.
After more sounds of suffering from the other side of the partition, Terri would make herself heard again.
-Alright, all done. I have to say, your disguises are made out of some pretty sturdy fabric. Allie, can you start on Lucy's hair after she catches her breath? And you boys, are you all proper back there?
-Yes, ma'am...-a collective, disgruntled reply would sound. Terri would grab one side of the partition and push it to the side, causing the wall to fold on itself as is retreated to the opposite side, exposing both sides, both genders' uniforms coming together and the only one missing being Lucy herself, who sat on one of the ships' seats still with her black skirt and steel heels on, but her sleeveless black top and jacket being replaced with a scarlet corset, her slender bust now more prominent. The blonde would throw a shaky thumbs-us an an equally shaky smirk, as she tried to regain her breathing, the fabric clearly constricting her in all sorts of ways.
The group would then start adding in the necessary extras, like picking out appropriate wigs and covering anything on their faces that might give them away, like eye color and moles, with contact lenses and makeup. In the meantime, Allie would be applying her showmanship expertise as she brushed and modeled Lucy's hair into one of Scheherazade's many trademarks looks, that being the spiraling beehive.
-Zeke, you have to button everything up. Lady Scheherazade's entourage can't be sloppy!- Axel would say as he'd move around Zeke, who would sway back and forth while standing in place, the Mistral-born dusting off his butler's outfit and making sure all of its buttons were in their correct holes.
-Ugh, this is soooo constrictive..! And I have to get out of this when I go to sleep, only to then put it back on when I wake up..? Gah, I never thought I'd say this, but I'd rather be fighting right now...-he groaned as he barely adjusted himself to make Axel's assistance easier.
-I assure you, it's going to be way more work if we're found out and have to make a run for it because you're a lazy, crappy butler...-Axel grunted as he undid Zeke's tied up hair, his auburn locks falling in cascades both behind his back and over his face.
-Not so crappy apparently. Lucy's been staring at me for a while now...- he yawned- Maybe I fit Scheherazade's wacky workforce..?
Axel would look over his shoulder towards where Lucy was sitting while being attended by Allie. Indeed, the platinum-haired mercenary was staring at Zeke with a strange intent in her eyes, the gears behind them clearly working overtime. As Axel and Zeke would tilt their heads in confusion, a sly grin would form on her lips.
-Oooh, Zeeeeke~? Can you come over here for a second? I may just have the perfect idea for you to not feel so stuffy~- she'd say as she'd gingerly beckon Zeke over with her hand.
-My condolences.- Axel would grimace as he'd get behind Zeke, who remained motionless as his back was pushed and his sleepy frame was dragged over to where Lucy was. She'd beckon him to come closer and, as Zeke leaned in, she'd whisper something to his ear.
As he heard her plan, he'd slowly smirk to himself and snicker.
-Oh that's hi-la-rious. Imagine lil' ol' me surpassing all of you in charms~- he'd cackle before his ear was grabbed and pulled by Lucy.
-Not "surpass". "Complement"~- she'd say with a forced, scary smile on her face- Master Rye? Can you help Zeke get into what's on Section 2-B of the War Chest?
Rye nodded and, after the partition was pulled again, being able to fold itself to form a smaller square to cover only a small part of the ship's deck, both would rustle around behind the cover, giving birth to Zeke's eye-catching disguise.
*
-Methinks a new fan club around Scheherazade's entourage is going to be born~ You rock that pretty well, Zeke!- Master Gee would snicker as he joined the conversation outside, having decided to leave his hair tied in a bun, but leaving a few wavy locks to fall around his face, framing it in a mix of classy and disheveling.
-It's harder than it looks, though!- Zeke would puff his blush-painted cheeks- I get the dress and the hair, but did I really need to get into these lacy knickers as well?! They itch like heck, keep sinking on the back and struggle with holding the front! And a bra as well?! Who's going to ever see these?! And they're barely useful nor necessary, don't you agree, Cidy?!
That remark granted the "moody" maid a pinch on the butt from Mercedes.
-It's completely necessary, my "darling". What if a gust of wind passes by and whooshes your skirt upwards? The media would clown on us for having a maid with boxer briefs!- Lucy would explain, as she wagged her closed fan towards Zeke.
-Point taken.- Zeke would point back- Still don't understand the bra thing. Don't you agree, Cidy? Waste of perfectly good fabric.
That remark granted the "moody" maid a pinch and pull on the cheek from Mercedes. The altercation would only garner more whispering of admiration from the crowd, even if they couldn't hear the group's conversation.
"A dark, moody maid and a fiery, prickly maid! One that cares about every minute detail and one who couldn't care less! A dramatic clash of personalities at every corner that bellies the strong bond underneath! Oooh, what a classic combo!"
"Aaah, Madame Scheherazade picks only the glitziest flowers for her garden! So cool and dramatic!"
"Just...see if you can find one of them by herself and ask her out on a date, honey! Oh, and make sure you add in a 'Foh Foh Foh' as well!"
"Ma, I really think either one of them would slap me if I tried copying their dear Lady Scheherazade..! Oh golly gee, be still, my beating heart..!"
-Only one performer left...-Merceny would peer into the ship's insides.
-Told 'im to put everything away and close everything up before getting out. Being the last one out is also just the best little finishing shock for the audience~- Lucy grinned mischievously.
-This is the one I'm most afraid of...-Mercedes would clutch her forehead in dread.
As she finished talking, one last figure would leave the ship. As they would leave the ramp, the structure rising and tilting backwards to close the ship's door, the populace would gasp in shock.
He couldn't be from a more different world than the glamour of Scheherazade's committee: dressed in beige, shoddy and baggy clothing, more fit to a farmer than a member of the bourgeois elite, this short man looked like he had snuck into the ship rather than having been aboard all this time. Wearing a straw hat, a few dark orange locks peeking from under it, which contrasted greatly with his furry dark mustache, he looked all kinds of disheveled as he stumbled towards the group and stopped with a slouched stance near Scheherazade, who looked just like the type that would shoo away such a dirty and dusty miscreant.
"Who's that shorty?!"
"No way...he looks so out of place..!"
"I thought it was just Lady Scheherazade and her entourage! Such a dirty little man, with a horrible mustache, looking like he just came out of his shift at the deepest of mines..."
"Such a contrast figure to her radiance..."
"It can only be..."
And so, in a singular voice, the singular answer was reached by the populace and was exclaimed to the seven winds:
"LADY SCHEHERAZADE'S NEW CONSORT?!"
The shaggy short man would look at the crowd with his vacant dark green eyes, snapping the suspense by reaching out to Scheherazade.
And with a gentle smile towards his extended hand, she daintily placed her gloved palm atop of his, clenching it tightly.
"HE IS!!!"