On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor Side Eighty-Four – Princess Eleanor Elizabeth Diana Windsor

Side Eighty-Four – Princess Eleanor Elizabeth Diana Windsor

“You sure about this then, princess?” Sarah asked, leaning on her large shield, looking unusually pensive. “Ye’ll be rather defenceless for a good while, aye?”

“Admiring your reflection?” Sir Arthur noticed. As Sarah, David and Donovan bickered, Sir Arthur put a hand on Eleanor’s shoulder comfortingly. “Well, it’s a good one. You’ve really grown to fit that armour, Green Knight.”

“Oh please. Compared to you or David, I’m still a liability.” She said self-deprecatingly. Even so, I have grown, definitely. Not that I ever wanted to grow as a fighter, but grandmother was right. I don’t have a choice. The armour seed more comfortable on her sohow, and strangely enough, she found battle less stressful than everything else that ca with the job, such as the endless socialising. As a princess I should be more used to it, but I was always one to spend galas and balls by myself. My father knew that and never pushed it, but now…

“It’ll be all right, princess.” He continued, and she flashed a weary smile.

“I’m sure I told you to call Eleanor, Sir Arthur.”

“No, not a chance.” He grinned back. “I know you wish to be less formal, but unlike these fine people, I’m an old-fashioned man. And I’ve known you since you were a little girl. I’m too old to change how I address you now. Besides, you do call sir, right?”

Guilty as charged. You have there. “Look, everyone, it’s ti.” She said, clapping her hands together, green and bronze gauntlets ringing. “Sarah, yes, it’s a risk, but one we have to take. After all… it’s why you are all here. Positions of honour and lavish salaries are earned for precisely this.”

“Do not be like that, Eleanor.” Aditi protested. “I am here because I admire you and want to help my country!”

“But you still take the money.” David broke in nastily, and Sarah cuffed him on the back of the head, causing another argunt.

“Of course she does.” Mary-Jane said as they bickered, exasperated. She had finished healing Aditi, and was now leaning on her staff, resting. Yes, her healing and blessings take a lot out of her, it’s more tiring than our combat, for sure. “No matter how much you like your job, you take a fair wage for fair work. That’s the British way, and what I teach the children. Oh, by the way, thank you for introducing to that… gentleman.” Her face twisted a little, which was unusual, as Mary-Jane was usually faultlessly polite. “I cannot say I was taken with him personally, but… the money will fund an orphanage and school for disadvantaged children.”

“Max Power? That guy?” David stopped his argunt to spit angrily. “Don’t like the prick, nor his foundation. Still, I guess money has no sin, right?”

“Yes, he… well…” Donovan stamred. “… he knows a lot of people.”

“Girls, right?” Sarah laughed. “Anyway, aye, he’s been bothering a little too, but he seems harmless enough, ye ken?”

“Well, grandmother is all about us making connections.” Eleanor sighed. “And he did say I could contact him if I needed financial support, so when you expressed a wish to build an orphanage as part of your reward… I thought of him.” He was annoyingly jovial and delighted to be of help to . But it’s not him that worries , but that woman. Mary Stuart. She seed… hostile. I told grandmother about her, and she seed troubled, only telling to stay my course and protect London.

“Well, I did ask for an introduction to that woman he was with, the blonde looker.” David grinned. “Guess and the boy aren’t so different. Damn, that upsets .”

“She’s a woman of the cloth.” Sarah said suddenly. “So I dinnae think you have much of a chance. A vulgar guy like you, ye’ve no hope, even if she could have relationships.”

“Isn’t a forbidden romance the best?” David grinned nastily, not rising to her bait for once. “But when I t her, all she did was ask my about my damn religion. You should have seen the look she gave when I said I was a believer in Caturix. And why wouldn’t I be? He marked himself as the greatest fighter in these isles. And with good reason. Who else is worthy to fight amidst this?” He gestured to the sky above, silver lightning flashes cutting through the murk. “Then the bitch started telling to forswear false gods and worship the only true one, or I’d burn in Hell. Shit, why are all the beautiful won crazy? I’d still get her out of those vestnts and take a tumble with her though. I’d give her sothing to stop her speaking nonsense…”

“Don’t blasphe, ye damn crude jerk. And dinnae sully the ears of the princess.” Sarah started another argunt, scandalised, before Eleanor clapped her hands again.

“Look, we are getting off-topic. I don’t really want to talk about her.” She gave the creeps. Max Power I can handle, but her? I don’t like the way she looked at , or the way she might have threatened … even now I replay that conversation in my head. Grandmother told not to worry about it, and to stay away from her, but… “We are here to protect London. To that end…” her mind could feel the connection to the area of this strange version of London she controlled, centred on the previous Tower of London. My land, my Avalon, as grandmother calls it. Well, I know I am strong enough to expand it again. With a thought she felt a huge amount of power drain out of her and her lands, sucked into the pillar at the centre, which began to glow brilliantly. “Our Avalon, what protects this United Kingdom, it will grow stronger. But until then…” she looked at her companions, who had all established their own Avalon around hers, forming a secure ring of protection. “… it’s all on you. We’ve discovered that this place will be vulnerable while it expands. And if the pattern holds from before, it should be much longer a ti before the strengthening is done.”

“It would sure be nice if the damn gods got off their arses and told us more.” David grumbled. “Caturix only told to fight and make the lands my own. And none of you dumb bastards have anything more, right?”

“Look, we’ve been through this, Mr Reckless, and pooled our knowledge.” Mary-Jane acted as peacemaker again, her glasses reflecting the brilliant silver and rainbow glow that filled the tower, dozens of huge ravens coming to roost upon the silver spire, watching them with unblinking, beady eyes. “We know that we need to defeat the hostile creatures here, and use the energy they provide to fortify this world. My goddess was not clear on precisely why, no more than your Caturix was…” she had entered lecture mode, as if he was one of her pupils, and Eleanor smiled at that.