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The Useless Made Useful

Time was or is, was it is if she could not tell whether or not time had actually passed? It was no matter. Time was a construct and in the realm of her Queen, she ruled it within her clawed fist. While the other hand, gestured, pointed and commanded. She was a two-handed type of ruler, and for most things, that was for the best. Two hands on, while the brain was formulating the next few steps. She had had to give her Queen credit, it was amazing what she was doing to the realm that was now their home.

And yet, within the heart that beat within her chest, it did not feel like home. She still felt connections to the world she had once lived within and her Queen could tell. Just as the Magician did. They eyed her carefully and suspiciously. They knew that she was not yet fully pledged to the cause, despite her words of reassurance.

She would be lying if she said she did not miss what life once was. And she would certainly be lying if she said she did not miss the women the Queen and the Magician had once been. And these thoughts made her weak. These wants of returning to what once was and what could have been made her skin crawl and her stomach twist.

Beatrix dug her bare heel into the ash coloured sand, eyes watching the deep maroon waves that lapped against the shores of ash. Her fingers clenched and unclenched at her sides before she raised them to her eyes, studying the slightly sharpened nails there. A huffed breath escaped her and her hands fell away, going back to their clenching motion.

There was little to no sound at the shores, save for her own breathing and the occasional sniff that escaped her. She had once found pleasure in silence, but this was not the silence she loved. This was a deafening silence as if the atmosphere itself was holding its breath.

She felt her coming before she heard her or even saw her. It was the warming of the collar around her throat and a gentle tug upon her heart. Beatrix turned her head as she watched the Devil approach. Lowering herself to a knee, she remained like that until the non-taloned hand gently cupped her jaw, raising it.

Deep red eyes gazed down into the tired green eyes of Beatrix. Each studied one another; once they had been partners, equals no less. And now one was kneeling and the other standing regally above them.

“My Queen.”

“Miann told me you would be here.”

Nadia’s fingers trailed down from her jaw and gently curled around the collar around her throat, giving it a pull, a signal for her to rise.

Beatrix, of course, obeyed and moved to offer the other her arm. It was such a natural and inherent movement; the offering of her arm being something that she had done time and time again.

The Queen’s head shifted slightly, looking down at her and the arm she offered before accepting such a gesture. Her hands clasping tightly and tugging her closer as she began to lead the two of them along the sand. Despite her hooves, the sand did not seem to hinder the woman at all.

Beatrix stared forward as she was being led along, ignoring the tense and iron like grip Nadia had upon her arm. She was scrambling internally, this had been the first time, as far as she could recall, when Nadia had approached her without another servant or Miann in tow. Something must be wrong, she reasoned to herself. This could be the only reason she would want to see her.

“...Is something troubling you, my Queen?”

Silence. And then, her reply.

“You’re not happy here.”

It was not a question, but a statement. Nadia did not look at her as they continued their walk along the shoreline. Tension seemed to flicker back and forth between the two of them, Beatrix not saying anything and looking down to her feet covered in the ashy sand and Nadia staring forward as they paused in their walk.

“It is not that I’m unhappy, my Queen…”

“But?”

“...I find myself lacking in a purpose. Miann is your Magician, your executioner even. The one who does what you ask without a second thought.”

“Are you envious of her?”

“Not of her specifically. But… I’m envious… Of her purpose. I want to have a purpose, I want to be… Useful to you, my Queen.”

Silence again followed as Nadia turned to look to the woman beside her. A gentle tilt came to her head and she turned fully. Releasing her arm she cupped the other’s face, fingertips ghosting over the black markings that had appeared beneath her eyes. Leaning down, she pressed a kiss to her forehead, leaving Beatrix a tad stunned as it had been so long since Nadia had shown any sort of softness or gentleness to her.

“You are useful, my pet. Just as you were useful then, you are useful now. However, if you seek a more firm purpose here and you are willing to let go of everything that once was, you merely have to ask of me.”

Beatrix was silent as she watched Nadia before closing her eyes and leaning her face into her hands, soft words escaping her,

“I am yours to command, my Queen.”

“Be my Champion, Beatrix.”

“I would be honoured.”

“Of course you would be. Such an honour comes with a trial, not everyone is fit for such a title.”

“A trial, my Queen?”

Nadia’s blackened lips drew back revealing a sharp toothy grin. She drew her face closer, turning it and whispering into Bea’s ear.

The warrior’s face shifted slightly as she listened before closing her eyes and nodding.

“As my Queen commands.”

A panting breath escaped her as blood dripped from her bruised and scraped knuckles. Breathing hurt, a broken rib or three that would mend itself before long. Her head bent as she was upon her knees before her Queen’s throne. Bare-chested and bruised, panting for pained breath, but victorious nonetheless.

A hoofed foot rose from the floor and lifted her chin upwards as Nadia gazed down at her, a satisfied smile upon her features. She leaned down, wiping a bit of blood from her lips with her thumb and speaking,

“Well done, Beatrix. My Champion.”

Beatrix gazed up at her and smiled weakly as she watched Nadia rose, lowering herself to her level and gathering her face into her hands as she had done earlier that day. Closing her own eyes, Bea leaned forward, awaiting what was to come as she had witnessed it done to Miann when she had accomplished her own trial.

A soft little chuckle escaped her as Nadia murmured, gliding her thumb over her lips,

“Someone’s impatient.”

And after those words escaped her, she closed the distance between the two of them and kissed Beatrix deeply. Nothing happened for a brief moment and then… she felt heat from all areas Nadia kissed her and a trail of fire being left in her hands wake as they released her face and trailed down her scarred and muscled arms.

A slight grimace shifted over her features as Nadia nibbled slightly at her bruised lip, before the Queen pulled away altogether and traced her fingers over her arms, her lips moving in a wordless manner and yet the fire that her fingers had left merely grew in intensity.

“Breath, dearest, remember to breathe.”

Her eyes remained shut, tightening even as she attempted to ease her own breathing, the heat intensifying before long she felt her whole body inflamed. Nadia’s voice began to grow distant as she continued the process of calming slowing her breathing but then she felt her weight give out and darkness overtook her.

Falling. She felt like she was falling. And yet as her eyes opened slowly, she found herself laying stationary in a familiar room.

A deep red canopy hung over her head as she raised her head and slowly looked about the chamber. It was well furnished and nearly identical to the one that had once been her favourite place to be in the palace back in Vesuvia. Nadia’s chambers, and yet as she looked around it, she did not feel the usual pang of longing that would occur when she thought of the place that was once home.

Letting out a slow breath, she raised her hands to her face but paused halfway there, inspecting her blackened claws and then shifting her eyes to the markings that now lined her forearms and curled upwards to her shoulders. They appeared similar to the ones around her eyes and a slow pleased noise escaped her.

“Inspecting our Queen’s handiwork?”

Beatrix dropped her arm to her side and sat up fully, slowly however as her body still ached from her trial. Her eyes settling upon the lounging figure of Miann who appeared unharmed save for the bruises upon her throat and jaw.

“How are you…”

“Not laying on my deathbed? Death refuses to step foot in the Queen’s realm. And I do have tricks up my sleeves.”

The laying Beatrix notes that she was not wearing any sleeves, however, as Miann never liked clothes, to begin with and if she had had it her way she would wander around the whole time bare with no clothes to be had. Squinting at her, Beatrix moved to speak but was silenced by a raise of the other’s hand.

“No more questions. I’ll fetch her and I do believe you’ll be wanting this.”

Miann rose from her lounging position on the chaise and with a flicker of her wrist, an ornate silver mirror appeared in her hand which she passed over to Beatrix. Once this motion was done, the Devil’s magician exited the room.

Lifting the mirror slowly, she gazed at the being that looked back. Black curved horns protruded from the sides of her head, hallowed green eyes with darkened sclera and sharpened features gazed back at her. Opening her mouth, slightly sharpened teeth flashed and she clamped her mouth shut. Her mind no longer abuzz or flitting about like a caged bird, but rather it was calm and settled, waiting and watching.

Tossing the mirror to the floor with a thud and a crack, she rose to her feet before tumbling forward and grasping onto the bedpost. Her nails scraping downward over the wood before she held firmly to it and steadied herself. She felt unsteady as if she had one too many to drink.

The door opened and she soon found herself being settled back onto the bed by Nadia who pressed her clawed hand to her upper chest and her non-taloned hand gliding through her hair.

“Do not push yourself. Your body is still adjusting.”

“What… What happened, my Qu-... Nadia. What happened to me?”

“A wonderful thing, my stars.”

Her heart seemed to skip as she raised her head to look towards the other woman as Miann settled down beside her on the bed.

The Magician lifted her arm, inspecting the markings there and humming with pleasure as she traced a finger over one of them. Beatrix winged and yanked her arm around.

“I… I… I don’t understand, how is Miann here? I thought, I…”

“Oh, you certainly did. Or well, technicalities do complicate things.”

“Technicalities. What the Hell do you mean by that?”

She turned her head and glowered towards Miann. The Magician merely grinned mischievously at her, an almost taunting expression sliding through her pink eyes.

“That’s enough, the both of you. It’s over with, Miann, technicalities or not, she’s passed her trial. Come, let’s get you back into bed. You need to rest, there is much to do. And I need my Champion in prime health.”

Nadia’s voice interrupted the two from further arguing and begrudgingly allowed Nadia to do as she had spoken of.

Miann blew her a kiss as she exited the room, the still conniving and taunting grin on her features. Meanwhile, Nadia remained, gently stroking her cheek with her thumb.

“You passed your trial, become my Champion and now you’ve earned some rest, hm?”

The Queen spoke as she traced over the blacken marks that swooped down beneath the other’s eyes. She gave her cheek a firm squeeze before rising and exiting the room.

Her Queen’s words had been true, and yet the words of Miann still would not settle. However it was no matter, she had gotten what she wanted in the end. But was this what she wanted or was this what the other two had wanted for her all along? Was that what she had meant by technicalities?

These were the questions that became her bedfellows but upon awakening the next day, they had all been forgotten.

For, in the end, a once useless being had become useful. A purpose had been created and the loyalty and trust restored to a warrior who had been moulded into just what her Queen wanted her to be.

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