#bisexualmilady

Nadine took the seat across from her, analyzing Chloe. She just flashed Nadine a smile in return. After a minute of silence Nadine spoke, “What’s the job?”

“Straight down to business then,” Chloe rested her elbows on the table, dropping her chin into her hands, “I need something in India.” No need to tell Nadine it was personal however, “But as you know it’s in the midst of a civil war. Something I heard you’ve had experiences with.”

Of course she knew that Nadine didn’t have the best experiences as such and it showed on her face when Nadine frowned, “What is it you need?”

“Well that will have to remain a secret for the time, but believe me, I can pay you.” She slid an envelope full of cash across the table. It was a large sum that she had to sell many artifacts to get but if she could get Nadine’s help it would be worth it. “I did think that the two of us could run a small job however first. To see how we work.”

Her hand didn’t leave the envelope but she was careful to show Nadine just how much was in it and let Nadine do the risk assessment in her head.

“You have a deal.” Nadine said, reaching out to take the envelope, “What small job?”

Chloe tilted her head towards the building across the street, “There’s a rare coin collection in there.”

“Now?”

“No time better than the present.” Chloe stood up and Nadine was only a second behind.

They walked close together, arms brushing, as they made their way to the building.

“Guards on all the floors,” Nadine whispered to her, tilting her head just enough in the shadows of the alleyway next to the house that it looked like they were lovers trying to find a spot of their own.

“That shouldn’t be a problem, right?” Chloe shot back, trailer her fingers down Nadine’s arm to cup her wrist and leaning in just slightly. She hadn’t expected that this might be fun as well, or at least she was having fun, it was hard to read Nadine’s face beyond how she was calculating how to get into the building.

“They rotate every hour, I’ve seen them before.” Nadine muttered, mostly to herself, and to Chloe’s surprise she inched closer with a sharp grin. “We’ll need to make ourselves busy until then.”

“Now there’s an offer.” Chloe drawled, testing the waters so to say. Nadine didn’t rise to the bait however, just smirking at her. Above them she could see a guard standing closer to the window and looking down at them curiously.

Nadine must have noticed to because she darted forward, pressing her lips to Chloe’s in a rather awkward kiss. Chloe retaliated by trying to make it more comfortable at least, sliding her fingers through Nadine’s hair and tilting her head just a little for a better angle.

She glanced away from the kiss only briefly to see the guard rolling his eyes at them and walking away once more. “He’s gone,” She said against Nadine’s lips. “Not bad.” She continued when Nadine pulled back.

“Not so bad yourself.” Nadine commented, looking slightly more like she was willing to join up with Chloe than before. Chloe smiled smugly, she liked to think that her kisses just had that kind of attribute to them.

“Hour’s nearly here.” Chloe looked at her watch, “Meet you inside?”

“Sure you can reach it?” Nadine asked back, pulling away from her and even with the heat in the air Chloe felt colder.

“I’m a professional.” Chloe grinned, turning away to walk to the other side of the house and letting Nadine have that wall. She knew her hips swung just a little and exactly how tempting that was to watch and was pleased when she glanced back to catch Nadine’s eyes that Nadine looked away quickly, seeming embarrassed that she was caught watching.

Despite the seriousness of the event that was about to unfold, both here and in India when they left, Chloe couldn’t help but feel better that she had Nadine on her side now. There was no doubt to her they’d work well together and if that working well led to a bit more she wasn’t going to argue that either.

 “You must be Flea.” Constance nodded at the woman who met her in the alley. “Porthos said you needed my help.”

 “Word is you’ve the Queen’s ear.” Flea got straight to business, cutting through the pleasantries. “And I’ve got people who are dying.”

 Constance had seen the mayhem in the streets. The Red Guards were still causing so many issues for everyone and no one had suffered more than the Court of Miracles.

 “Tell me what you need.” Constance replied, as serious as Flea was in the wake of the destruction. She’d do what she could to save people.

 Constance blinked back the sudden thoughts that felt like memories stirring in her mind, she let go of Flea’s hand and saw that she was in as much of a daze as Constance was.

 Constance cleared her throat, it must have been just the stress of the job getting to her that was all, “What can I do for you.”

 Flea stared at her, narrowing her eyes and for a moment Constance felt like she was being analyzed but merely stared back in a challenge. Flea slowly grinned and sat down in the chair across from Constance’s desk, look for all the world like she was comfortable when Constance knew the chairs weren’t. She took her own seat and waited for Flea to say something.

 “We need funding.” Flea finally said, “We’ve been looking for a candidate who will deliver on their promises and I think your girl will.”

 It was on the tip of Constance’s tongue to deny that Anne was ‘her girl’ as Flea made it sound more that they were dating, instead she bit the inside of her cheek and then answered back, “Anne certainly intends to, if you have a case file I can deliver it to her to look at.”

 Flea snorted, “’Intends to’ is just a fancy way of getting out of it if she doesn’t keep her promises. Guess my hope was misplaced.”

 “It’s not misplaced.” Constance sighed in exasperation, “But you know as well as I do that hands can be tied up by making deals elsewhere.”

 “I’ve made more than my fair amount of deals like that but I need this. People are dying on the streets because I can’t open a second location.”

 Any anger she could have felt at Flea dissolved at that. “I’d love to be able to help you.” Constance said, “But it isn’t up to me.”

 “You can’t tell your girl how important this is?” Flea cocked her head, “Porthos said you were capable of anything if you truly cared about it.”

 Porthos was going to get frogs in his bed at this rate, Constance thought quietly. “I will talk to her.” She could convince Anne, it would take some pleading and arranging of Anne’s budget if Anne got elected but she certainly would do it. Flea was right, she was doing this for the people as much as she was Anne if she was being honest.

 Flea must have believed her because she chucked the file in her hand onto Constance’s desk and stood up. She rested her hands on Constance’s desk and leaned in, “I look forward to working with you.”

 Whistling, Flea walked out of Constance’s office and it could have been her imagination but she could have sworn that Flea’s hips swung just a little more than they should have as she left. Unbidden more thoughts came to mind.

 Flea brushed up next to her in the market, to any passerbys they just looked like two people choosing bread.

 “Any word?” Constance asked Flea, keeping an eye on the merchant at the stall to make sure they weren’t listening.

 “There’ll be a march tonight. We have to speed things up. I’m breaking into the Lord Franciosi place tonight.” Flea whispered back.

 Constance glanced over at Flea and saw her exhaustion, “Come rest now at the garrison, I’ll keep an eye out for you.”

 “Unless you’d care to rest with me?” Flea leaned in just a little bit more, her lips close to Constance’s.

 “I…” Constance choked on her words. Her and Flea had been working so close together and it was pointless to say her eyes hadn’t strayed towards Flea when they shouldn’t have because Flea had seen it for herself by looking at Constance at the same time. Constance swallowed and turned away, Flea’s disappointment was almost palpable.

 “I’ll see you at the garrison then.” Flea said and her hand lingered on Constance’s elbow just a second longer. She disappeared into the crowd as Constance watched, wishing she could call Flea back but there was nothing she could think of to say.

 Flea stopped right at the doorway and turned her head back to Constance, smirking when she saw where Constance’s eyes were and winking before she was gone.

 Constance rubbed her hand where Flea had touched it, thinking about the strange thoughts that had come from nothing.

 Sylive walked into her office a moment later, noticing Constance’s expression. “Everything all right?” Syvlie ran the campaign when Constance was unavailable, they really shared the position together. “Should I call that woman back and get her number for you?” Sylvie teased and Constance flushed. In retaliation she threw a pen at Sylvie, ignoring Syvlie’s laughter as she walked out.

 There was something about Flea though. Something just so weirdly familiar.

 ~~

 That night she dreamt of cobbled Paris streets and running alongside Flea through the streets with a sword at her side and a pistol in her hand.

 “They’re getting closer.” Constance said, out of breath. “We need to find some place to lay low.”

 “I know a place.” Flea grabbed her hand that wasn’t holding the gun, “Follow me.”

 They ducked through alleys, avoiding the main streets where they could until they ended up in a closed down bakery. Flea moved the boards to allow them access and placed it again so it still looked boarded up. She moved around the place briskly while Constance caught her breath.

 “You need to get the message to the Queen.” Flea said out loud, “There’s a back door here that goes to a street, you can get to the servant quarters from there.”

 Constance frowned, tucking the letter in her belt in more, “I’m not leaving you. They could still find you.” Even as she said it she could hear the shouting in the streets of the Red Guards looking for them.

 Flea’s lips curved upwards in a deceptive smile, “Worried for me Connie?”

 Any other time she’d have told Flea to stop calling her that but she knew Flea was just trying to get her angry enough to leave her. “Flea.” She stated, all seriousness. Flea must have been able to tell her plan wasn’t going to work and sighed.

 She took a step closer to Constance, right into her space. “You need to go.”

 Constance was about to argue again when Flea closed the space between them, pulling Constance in for a desperate kiss. It said the things Flea couldn’t, projected her worry for both themselves and the people they were trying to save.

 “Flea…” Constance breathed out her name as the kiss broke, she could hardly see Flea’s eyes in the dark but they glinted with unshed tears.

 Flea took a sharp breath and stepped back, pulling boards down from a door Constance hadn’t seen. “Go.”

 She had to and she knew it but as she went to the door it didn’t stop her from pulling Flea into another kiss. More of a goodbye one this time it felt like and Constance bit back the sob in her throat at the realization.

 With one last look she was gone. In the morning, so was Flea.

 Constance woke up with tears on her pillow and memories she’d forgotten swirling in her mind. She recalled all of it, the riots in Paris and the Red Guards taking brutal revenge, the letters from nobles who ordered deaths without the Crown knowledge, leaving Flea behind. Losing her.

 She lurched out of bed, disoriented. Constance remembered there was also a church and a prayer she whispered, begging God for a second chance. In a rush she stumbled out of her room and to her door, not even bothering to change. As she pulled the door open she froze when she saw Flea standing here, about to knock on it.

 “You remembered then.” Flea said and if it wasn’t for how her hand was shaking and the way her voice trembled Constance would think she was unfairly calm.

 “I…how?” Constance whispered.

 “Does it matter?” Flea asked and Constance shook her head. She reached out to pull Flea to her and into a kiss reminiscent of their first one.

 Constance laughed as she pulled back, resting her forehead against Flea’s.

 “When I said we’d be working together I didn’t quite think this, Connie.” Flea muttered but she reached out to take Constance’s hand, threading her fingers through the spaces to clutch at it wildly.

 “Don’t call me Connie.” Constance deadpanned but she couldn’t stop smiling.

 “I think we have things to make up for.” Flea hummed and pushed them backwards into Constance’s apartment, letting the door close behind them.

 “Says who?” Constance raised an eyebrow, playing along.

 “Says the universe.” Flea laughed, free and alive and Constance had never heard anything more beautiful to her.

 “Come on,” Velanna said sharply, reaching down to tug Sigrun’s arm, “There’s a cave over there.” It was just in time too because the wind had started to become even colder and she couldn’t stop shivering.

 Once they reached the cave she used her magic to put up a blocking spell to keep the wind out and started a fire. Sigrun watched her idly, staying mostly out of the way.

 “So you’ve never liked snow then?” Sigrun finally asked when everything was set, she settled down opposite of Velanna near the fire. “I think it’s wonderful, it smells so crisp.”

 Velanna snorted in derisiveness, “Snow has no smell. It’s just falling water.”

 “I think it does.”

 “You also sniff dirt.” Velanna retorted but Sigrun only grinned in response and she sighed, “My sister used to love it.” Her voice got quieter in the memory, “Seranni would always try to get me to play in it whenever it fell. It was so rare she thought it was a treat for us.” Velanna didn’t add that she now regretted not going out with her sister during those days.

 A hand fell on her arm and she looked over to see that Sigrun had come around to sit right next to her. “Tell me about her.” Sigrun said and Velanna blinked in surprised. “You said that stories were important right?” Velanna nodded, recalling she had said that. “Then share it with me. I love stories.”

 There wasn’t any mocking in Sigrun’s eyes, just genuine curiosity and understanding. Velanna had to look away quickly, not able to take it. Slowly but surely she began to tell Sigrun of her sister, of how Seranni and Sigrun would probably get along with such a love for the simple things around them.

 “She sounds wonderful.” Sigrun said when Velanna fell quiet, “I’m sorry you were parted from her.”

 Velanna glanced over at Sigrun, curious now, “Do you have family? Did you miss them when you…” She paused looking for the right word.

 “Died?” Sigrun suggested with a laugh, it died down however when she turned to look at the fire. Lost in her own memories, “Just my mom and uncle and cousins. We were never that close.” Sigrun shrugged, “But there was Varlan. He taught me how to read and write.” She smiled at the memory, “But I’d never seen so many books until I got here.”

 It was an attempt to break the sadness that had fallen over them as they reminisced and Velanna let it go. “I always wanted to write a book,” Velanna said.

 “Are you going to be grouchy at the readers if they misinterpret it?” Sigrun teased and Velanna sniffed.

 “If I’m writing it then I’m certain they’d understand it.”

 “Well I’ll be the first to read it so we can see.” Sigrun said and to Velanna’s relief she was grinning again.

 “So long as you don’t sniff the pages.” Velanna agreed. Somewhere between telling stories the two of them had gotten pressed up against each other and with the warmth from the fire it felt nice.

 “Don’t worry, I’ll stick to dirt and snow.” Sigrun said, far too cheerful. “Speaking of, looks like we’re in here for the night.” Sigrun tilted her head as she squinted at the entrance of the cage that was getting blocked up by snow quickly.

 “Just you and the rocks for company.” Velanna drawled in sarcasm. “How joyous.”

 “Well they could sprout into dwarves.”

 “We are not speaking of that again.” Velanna frowned, still upset that she had believe Oghren of all people. Sigrun had certainly never let it go.

 Next to her Sigrun snickered and then began to hum. Just a soft tune that was probably dwarvish and sounded pretty all the same. The song broke off when Sigrun talked again however, “I’m glad you’re the first elf I met.”

 Velanna blinked, wondering where that was coming from. “Thank you.” She said cautiously.

 “No,” Sigrun began, “I’m glad I met you.” She looked over and up at Velanna. “Really.”

 Velanna opened her mouth to shoot back a scathing remark but was silenced by Sigrun’s sincerity. “I suppose you’re the best dwarf I’ve met.” She settled for instead. “Even if the only other one is Oghren.” She really hadn’t met any other dwarves before, her interactions prior to the wardens had been with other elves and humans.

 Sigrun brightened at that anyway, taking it for the compliment it was and Velanna was glad she didn’t have to backtrack on her words or offer false sentiments. Sigrun just seemed to understand her which she appreciated.

 If her hand fell over Sigrun’s neither of them said anything. If Sigrun held it back, warm and alive (and dead) all at the same time, then they still nothing and just enjoyed the moment between them. Perhaps it would lead to something more and one day Velanna wouldn’t stare at the snow in bitter memories but remember this day instead; remember that when Sigrun smiled she wanted to lean down to kiss the dwarf and remember that Sigrun took that initiative for them.