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  • 📅 February and March 2024 are YE 46.2 in the RP.

RP Alice in Loverland

RaWolfe

Retired Staff
RP Date
YE 42
RP Location
Sanctum
Alice sighed as she returned from her meeting with the joint delegation. Who knew how exhausting it would be to be in a room with delegates from every major faction? She was glad to have it settled and over, very deeply so, but was partly disgusted with herself at her own responses. Had she really so readily agreed to their plan, one that would likely see many lives lost?

It egged at the Admiral, terribly so as she leaned back in her leather chair, still dressed in full ceremonial uniform. The woman needed a break before work became all too much and she lost her way. Something she rarely asked for in her time working, but Sareash in her life had begun to change that around. Every day away drew her back to wanting to spend it all with her favorite angel. Intimate nights and casual days that she longed for with her.

Alice had no plans to let duty ruin her relationships this time around, and it's what he would have wanted. The best way she could honor the late lord was to give it her all at trying to stay loyal to her family more than work. After all, devotion to a cause weighed on one after a while, especially one who had been so constantly lonely. Her fingers were tapping at holographic keys before that thought had finished, putting in a notice of leave for a bit, as her thoughts turned to Ashe.

With the form submitted and sent, an idle hand at first wandered to her regulation stiff collar. It paused in hesitation, having never sought to loosen the dutiful bond this collar represented to her mentally, but love won out. Her hand grabbing and forcefully pulling the fastening undone.

As the service coat and other adornments were shed, Alice opened a comm call to her angel in question. "Hey, it's me Ashe. Yeah, I'm taking a vacation leave, and I...want you to come with me. I've already sent in the paperwork and gotten it approved. Been highly recommended by the psychologist for a while now, for us both actually."

The days were long, the paperwork was even higher. The people wanted to get their demands and a moment of the councilor's time. Sareash was doing her best to repay the NDC as much as she could, it bugged her that she was out of commission when the late lord had died. The hours she put into the investigation of what had gone wrong was not simply one report, the whole organization needed a review and Sareash ordered her new team of Chiefs to release people after they would have failed the regular back check. Though Sareash kept her mind to the price as Alice would always say, the end of the day where she would check out and go back home...hoping to see her again.

Hearing Alice voice, she signals the assistant to leave the room and listens carefully to Alice message that gave her a soft smile “A leave of absence...after all those months that is something I could use right now” She spoke and tapped into her system to get her side sorted and Alice was right, it was approved immediately “Top of her game, as always” She smirks a bit as she taps the communication to open the channel “Sorry for the delay in response, I had to get my papers in check as well. As you said, the leave of absence is approved instantly. I wonder if we have worked too hard these days”

Alice could be heard giving a small giggle over the line, "I for once am willing to agree with them, starting to feel it too. So what do you say to you, and me on a week-long beach getaway? Just you and me?"

She taps her lip for a second as Sareash smiled softly “I don’t know, I got that dilemma of what kind of bikini set I will use this time to tease you” Sareash had opened up more to Alice than anyone else. Where she is very formal in her duties, very serious when it comes to protecting her people, she could never really open up and show her soft and warm side to other people.

"I look forward to the surprise, though it is for a week. You know, you could bring a variety, see how many shades of red you can get out of me. I know I'm bringing a selection of things, for each part of the day honey.", Came the flirtatious reply, something that already had her face flush. Alice hadn't even left her office yet, and she was already answering like they were alone. It was a bit unexpected of herself, but perhaps this was a clear sign she needed this.

As they talked, she began to pack up for the day, looking at the messenger bag she used. Maybe it was time to switch to something less militant, and more….feminine, she questioned in her mind.

After the conversation, Sareash made her way back home and excused herself for the day at her workers with a friendly bow. The workers had gained a certain respect for the hardworking angel that had worked tirelessly to get things back on track. Getting back home, she took a deep breath and noticed that Alice's car was already parked outside. She walked upwards “I’m home” She spoke a bit loudly as Sareash took off her jacket and entered their bedroom leaning at the side of the door looking at Alice who was dealing with something in her mind “You seem miles away dear…”

A chuckle emanated from the amazonian, "Just the usual deep questions. Wondering maybe I should start trading service boots for heels a bit more often now. Maybe start carrying a purse instead of a messenger bag for my things. What do you think?" Alice sat up further from her laid-back position on the bed, having changed down to an oversized shirt for comfort, despite the colder weather.

Sareash didn't quite know how to respond to those troubling thoughts of her wife “Well, whatever you feel comfortable with, I am not going to love you less. Thought the papers have a field day when they spot you with such equipment” She teases a bit and pushes herself off the door and walks towards the bed falling down onto Alice side and into her arms to cuddle a bit as she closed her eyes a bit “I always look forward to this you know” Thought her mind was troubled as well as she rose her head and looked at Alice “Dear...do I do enough for the NDC? I sometimes feel guilty that I am behind a desk while my people are out there defending us”

An arm wrapped around the winged woman, still gentle of her wings as she did. "Here I am worrying about being womanly, and you're worried about doing enough for your country.", Alice said with a sadly furrowed brow. "Starting to sound like the old me. I think you've gone above and beyond time and time again. Things have been peaceful, with no war of our own for some time now. Even if temporary, you've more than helped to secure it."

She laid her head on her arm as Sareash shrugs “The war might be over, but it continues within the buildings. It took me months to clean up the internal conflicts between people. I do sincerely miss the blunt soldier work, just step into my mech and fly into space” She looked at her wing that rose up a bit showing the scars “But that took the ultimate price on me..and now I am chained to the ground”

"It did, and why I'm glad that you're in a safer position now. And you're good at it too, especially getting people sorted out, and the chaos minimized. Though….you did look good in one of those bodysuits I have to admit." A small grin was given as Alice did her best to cheer Ashe up, a stray hand moving to Elysian's back to stroke it reassuringly. Maybe medical science could advance to give her love their wings back, or arrange a trip to their ally Yamatai for a procedure.

In either case, it was sad to see her wife so physically affected. Alice held her close as she felt that warmth, something she wanted to be able to feel every day without interruption. But it also brought about thoughts again of what lay beyond for the two, and what a normal life would even be like for people like them. Family...was an odd thought, but one she was desperately growing to want for her, and Ashe.

“Good at it…” Sareash repeated Alice words and sighs “I’m good and feel alive in my suit and protect the NDC and you from all bad guys” She placed her hand on Alice's chest “In those rooms, I get to battle dusty old people that all know it better” She looked up at Alice “can I please have my suit back… can you not see how bored your wife is” She grins.

"Actually, I got us a matching pair of the new ones. Still can't go out and lead the charge, but at least you have something to reasonably feel sexy in that's work-related. You can pursue me in mine as well." Came her chuckled reply. "Even though I'm bored as well, I write more fleet plans than actually command directly."

The last words came with her own sigh, her position only marginally better on what it all entailed. Things had become so much less hung ho with command after Jack's passing, things settling into a more defined and set system. Another reason they both needed the escape from work, and perhaps even more so in the long run. It brought a question to her mind that she needed to ask, a few in fact. "Hey Ashe, would you consider us family? I know that's weird to ask, but do we seem like we're ready to be wives, and open up to more...well normal lives?"

She looked at the Elysian woman, directly in the eyes with a wandering gaze. "With this talk of peace coming, and the major war over soon. Maybe it's time we started thinking about ourselves more maybe? Actually have a go at the civilian life, which I think we deserve.", Alice said before waiting for her lover's response.

Looking at Alice, she noticed that this was on her mind for quite some time. A family, a peaceful life and maybe just settle down. But were they not already on that path, Sareash smiled softly at that idea and nods to herself “I have considered you my family before I said yes dear” She lets her hand slide over Alice's cheek “We are pretty much on the course to settle down from all that has happened” She gave a gentle slap on her cheek “And that's for the idea that we are not open to each other, understand clearly that I am more open, more comfortable with you than anyone else” She leans forward and gave Alice a gentle kiss on her lips as she looked back into her eyes.

“I mean I am way different, I hope from the first time we met at Osman until now” She smirks a bit “But do you truly think that peace will have mercy on us? I am partly already doing civilian work and I fear that we are now entering a whole new stage of warfare...the political warfare where things might get ugly very quickly” Sareash was concerned with the NDC now growing and the need for military tuned down that people have more courage to voice their opinions about the direction of where NDC goes. Opinions she gladly hears, but the effect of potential riots and demonstrations was something she rather avoided.

Alice actually tore a little bit, "I never doubted that, but more doubt myself. It would not be my first try, and I failed as a woman when I was far younger. I had the same opportunity at the start of my career, but failed and let the war consume me." The topic was hard on her, that much was clear, the buried memories of before she became the hardened woman she had been when they first met. "I have a son, he should be getting close to being in his mid-20s now. I had him shortly after enlistment, but I was never there, only sending money back to support him as I fought and fought."

Sitting up as Sareash looked a bit with shock at Alice at the mention that she had a son. A son?! Sareash looked confused and puzzled for a bit, how could she have missed this. Was it before they were deployed together? Did she never care to take notice of it at the beginning? Sareash lets it sink in and finally lets the words slide over her tongue “A son...would that not mean that he is now….my son?” Sareash looked even more confused and looked through their sleeping room “Well that is quite the news...and unexpected. But…” She mutters “We were in a difficult position back then, the war was raging and there was little we could do than stay home and be the faithful mother, I guess”

Alice shook her head, "I haven't seen him since shortly after he was born. I lost contact with the father some years after. I completely disconnected when I came to Osman, having left the empire after all they had done. I should have at the least…..I don't know." The taller woman lowered the tilt of her body to lean her frame into Sareashe's chest. Gripping her tightly in an embrace where she could be felt shaking. "Yes, he is your son too, but how could I even be called his mother after abandoning my own child like a coward!"

Still surprised about what had occurred a few seconds ago by the enlightened information about Alice having a son and so it seems that Sareash now also had a son “No...your not a coward. Keep in mind Alice, you are by nature a warrior and not someone that can sit still at home. I totally understand your position in this and frankly, at that time I would have done the same thing” Sareash pointed out bluntly as she looked down at Alice who held her “But now you do have a chance to reconnect if you want I can pull some strings to maybe find out what happened to him? Osman database is easy to access for my department”

The Amazon woman only nods, her face had not left her wife's chest. "I doubt I can make things right, but I just want to know, and hope that he was still happy even without me.", Alice said with a sniff, the rush of emotions had started to wear off some now. Her head raises finally to draw Ashe into a deep kiss of thanks for the offer, and for hearing her out so understandingly.

Taking up on the offer, Sareash kissed her back to receive her thanks as she smiled at her “I will do my best to use my ability as Director to get information on...our son” Sareash said though she was still puzzling a bit about it “Now, we still need to get going from here to get our well earned holiday dear” Sareash pointed out with a wink at her as she slowly got out of her comfortable position “I still need to pack more stuff if any” She pointed out getting off the bed and spreads her wings to stretch them.

There wouldn't be much to pack for the admiral, as it was not like she owned many casual clothes, to begin with. So she laid back on the bed, her eyes merely shutting for a second before a soft snore came from her. It was clear the stress had worn her out, and the sudden release of it, having drained her energy thoroughly. Alice was already fast asleep, her mind sailing down the rabbit hole of her dreams as usual. The meeting tomorrow would require great amounts of rest indeed.

JP by @Jack Pine & RaWolfe
 
Two days later and they were driving out of the city in the same jeep as that they had driven before. Some small part of her now missed the vacancy, the seat behind her which had been filled then. More contact and meetings with her son were greatly needed, especially if she hoped to patch the gap that had formed between them over these long two-plus decades. "Do you...think it went well?", Alice simply asked as they drove, it clear what that limited question was asking.

Staring outside as they were driving through the beautiful scenery, Sareash blinked and looked at her side “Did what went well?” Sareash was not fully awake yet, but then it sinks in for her “Oh Aaron, it went well love. You two were cute being nervous as hell at the beginning and later were bounding so well” She smiled as she looked back outside “Everything went well, I wonder if he felt the same way about it” Sareash wonders out loud.

"I hope he does, and yeah, I just want to keep that going. I owe him more than I can give." A small smile crept to her own lips, thinking on it more herself. It was fun yesterday, and she had a son in her life again, right where he belonged and where she needed to be for him. At least….working towards the latter part of that anyways.

Their path took them along the coast for a good 20 minutes, white sands off in the distance, gleaming through minuscule cracks where the great ancient trees didn't cover. Despite even so close to the water, the trees were stories tall. But, only one canopy layer unlike deeper in where the foliage was far more grown and congested. Roads and paths had been cleared, the area of the mainland they called their own, developing more and more every month. The Gunja even had subterranean routes into their zone of safety now.

A few small villages had begun to crop up with gleeful permission, allowing a few scores of them to live quietly above ground. Something, most of the race had grown to almost forget what that felt like. The two people were beginning to mingle more, even a few visited the city. However, that was far from her mind as the road curved closer to those sands. The condo she had ordered and prepared awaited them, their slice of private paradise in what was growing to be more like home every day.

The area was beautiful and it was something unlike Sareash had seen in a long time. It felt peaceful and calm, something that Sareash had not seen for months if not years. The clear skies, the warm temperature, and the soft breeze of wind. She was definitely going to enjoy this vacation and make full use of it. They arrived at their private paradise, a location that was all for themselves.

“So what magic trick did you pull to get this arranged Alice, I mean the hell?” She spoke while being flabbergasted by the beauty of the area “I wonder who you got killed to get this place” Sareash joked as she stretched her wings to full glory.

"Just a few thousand enemies to the nation. In all seriousness though, it's not like I spend my money on much else. It also has a hot spring that overflows downhill into the ocean too." Alice said with a smirk to add a cherry on top as they drew closer to the property that overlooked said ocean. It was clearly a prefab building to an extent but had been prettied up considerably with wood paneling and floors of the local timber. Two stories with a balcony, and a large back porch that hung over the hill on sturdy stilts. The porch wrapped around to the front, which was the immediate side facing the road.

The carport was a large dual set of cargo modules that had been conjoined. The inside had been renovated and hollowed as a garage as well. As they pulled into it, Alice sent the signal to close the door, before getting out. Stepping around to Ashe's side of the vehicle, and opening the door before offering her a hand. "Welcome home.", She said with a smile.

The house was beautiful, but it even had a hot spring in it? That was something she was going to make abuse...ehmm use of quite often. Hot springs would be a heaven for her wings to get restoration and it restores most of her skin. Sareash blinked and looked at Alice as she walked slowly into the renovated house “What do you mean by welcome home... This is a vacation house you rented right?” She looked back at Alice “Right?!” Sareash was holding her enjoyment of the potential idea that this would be their house a bit in, but Alice could see it most likely in her facial reaction.

"I don't believe I've stuttered, this place is ours. I'm not usually one for frivolous spending my dear, but...it seemed more than worth it. I wanted us to have a home, one we can maybe raise a family in someday, and not a 2 person apartment." Alice for once gave a shy blush as she explained, thinking on the meaning of it all. It was definitely a large dip into her funds, but there wasn't much else to spend it on short of her own private vessel.

She gasped a bit as Sareash looked at the surrounding once more, her wings spread a little that showed the damage of what the last battle did to her. Sareash nods slowly “I could have added some money into it also you know, you don’t have to do everything on your own and that my good lady” She turned around looking at her with a snappy look “Is something you need to learn if we are going to have our own family here” She spoke while walking to her and placed her arms around Alice's neck while placing her chest on chest and her wings go around her softly. It did hurt her, but she didn’t mind as it was her gesture of showing affection “Silly...I am here as well”

"I know, I know, but….well, I shuddered to show you a price tag. But that also was something else I wanted to bring up." Alice answered as she put her arms around her wife's waist. Leaning down for a kiss, she lifted the smaller woman by the rear. "I want to combine our accounts, then my money is your money, and vice versa. Just as what I spent here, I want the rest to go towards our future."

The Amazonian woman began to carry Sareashe deeper into the house. Having not explored it herself even prior, but finding the layout simple enough as she stepped in the direction of the living room.

Getting carried a bit as Sareash finally touched the ground narrowing her eyes a bit “What was the price tag...because if we are going to combine our accounts then I can assure you I will know what naughty books you will buy online” She joked around walking into the large living room and gasp again seeing the beautiful view from the windows “That price...it's something I don’t want to hear right?” She said a bit rhetorical and walked a bit through the living room “I don’t mind sharing our accounts, building our lives but the real question is…” She looked over her shoulder stopping at the couch “How much are we going to enjoy this while being either in space or in a council room?”

"After Glimmergold, there won't be a need for me on the ship anymore. Save for formal missions or diplomatic military meetings. There are offices for each of us upstairs, I will likely move most of my work thereafter. Likewise, I hoped you could do the same to some capacity, given your absence of fieldwork." Came to her honest answer, finding it more pressing to answer, than to acknowledge the tease. This was a very serious moment in how much it meant to her, and hopefully Sareashe too.

"With over 2 million in my account and my salary, plus your account and salary. We will want for nothing at least." Alice added to also address that topic as well. She just wanted to hammer it home, just how their position in life was right now.

The idea of her going to Glimmergold was still eating up on Sareash, she wanted to be there with her wife and fight these bastards “Still don’t want me in that armor I presume? I mean I can still fight like hell and kick some of their asses'' She puts both her hands behind her head and shrugs a bit “The NDC will require me to go from place to place, of course, fieldwork to other star systems is so far declined as I am seen as a high-value person. The NDC might see the end of the war or I hope so...but it doesn’t mean that it will be the end of it all” Lowering her arms again looking at her wife “People will do stupid things and they would need to experience people like you to clean it up...that is what I mean. Be realistic Alice, we are just a gear in this endless machine that Jack has to build, without us it won't run as smooth as it is right now”

"You say that as if I'm removing myself entirely. I command the fleets, and I do most of that through paperwork and calls. The only time I am even on a ship anymore is for inspection or mass mobilization. If messes arise, I can deal with them. In this hopeful peace, only the minutiae of daily routine and logistics remain." This was not a debate she was expecting to have, nor one she had hoped for either. Was she perhaps naive and foolish in this situation? Alice hadn't thought so at the time, but maybe the overwhelming hope clouded her judgment perhaps.

Sareash hums a bit walking through the living room to go towards the kitchen that looked pretty as well “We shall see what the future brings, maybe I am too scared of what the future brings as when was the last time we really experienced true peace?” She pointed out and placed her hands on the kitchen island looking back at Alice “Plus you have not answered my earlier question if I am allowed to be deployed one more time?”

"Why would I send a councilman and non-combatant head of a government organization to a war front. We are not Yamatai, we do not shove everyone to the front Ashe." Alice was firm on this, trying to understand why her wife wanted so badly to jump into the fray again. It dawned on her that it was likely herself, and her wife not wishing her to be alone in the final battle. "I get you to want to fight with me, but there is a greater need for you here. And I can not send someone who is not under my command to combat. Lord Oaklen would have my hide for such an act as well."

Listening to those words made her sigh and lower her head while leaning still on the kitchen island “They can easily send someone else to the battlefront, I can still beat you to the ground as a non-combatant!” She slams her fist on the plate as Sareash shrugs “Sorry….but this mission, this battle has written suicide all over it and you know it. I don’t care if the Yamatai or the glorious Nepleslians are going in there to potentially end a war, it comes with a cost, Alice! And if the NDC goes, that cost will be big as the Kuvexians will not back down on their most precious location”

A darkness fell over Alice's gaze at those words, hundreds of faces flashing in vague memory. Most she couldn't remember the name of anymore, but there was the one before her who still shone brightly. Was the curse of a digital mind, to have such photographic memory of the deceased, like a mortician who had gathered a still of every charge buried. The very idea of seeing Ashe's light in those memories fade sent a shudder to her core.

"I know, very well what it means. But if that is what it takes to keep you safe, then so be it." Her voice remained firm at first, but it edged more and more towards the emotional flood she felt. Her words dripped hurt at what she said next, Ashe's very condition and how she came out of her last battle, still very raw in her mind. "...are you asking me to sacrifice you? If that is what fate you believe awaits us... T-then are you asking me to send you to die too? Do you really think...that I could do that...that I want that for you?!............ Do you have no faith in me at all to come home alive?"

Honestly, she had no idea what she was asking as Sareash could punch through the mask that Alice was holding up “But you are asking me to stay home while you fight an impossible situation. I have all fate in your skill and knowledge to do this, but I don’t know what is waiting on you right at their doorstep” she puts her hands together “If I get left behind as a widow, with a house like this… I don’t know how I would process it, I would rather have you here then a house or a fancy job” she felt the emotions getting to her.

"I am more likely to die if you are there, constantly worrying about your safety. I gave into it last time and looked at what happened. I could barely function, as you laid in a wreck on the moon." She tried to remain firm, but her voice grew ever weaker to emotion, to anger at what she still saw as her failure. "How many will die with my attention divided, when I need to be focused, mind unturned from the task at hand. How many more windows will I have to explain my weakness too. If you die...defeat is assured. If you stay, I can stare straight to victory."

Feeling weak and vulnerable for the first time in many years “So my failure on that mission, my sense of saving those civilians from the Kuvexians was the reason you collapsed in your command! You know better than that damn it Alice” She turned around and walked through the kitchen door outside and walked to the beach only to collapse on her knees and then sat on her ass. She could hear Alice from behind “Understand that there is no victory in that battle.. only death and guilt”

The tears had fallen as Alice had followed, and still did, seeing her angel so pitifully slumped on the sand. "Every war I have fought for the empire has only ever been those things. Every victory was for their gain, not those who claimed it for them. What is one more on my soul, if it saves me the guilt of being the cause of your death. Then I will take that bitter victory, and for once, claim something of my own from it."

The admiral stepped closer and took a spot next to her troubled wife. "Why would I let you feel the taint that I have felt, for twenty years? Why would I risk my very reason to win? If I can shield you from that, if I can give you a home, that is safe. Then I will, and if I can win, then I will."

She looked out to the ocean, the waves so calm today despite the storm of emotions they both felt. Her heart aching as her very lungs felt tight. "If it is what it will take, then this will be my final battle. Then I am done, and I will fight no more. I will hand my uniform to the Lord himself, and tell him I will do it no more."

Hearing that all made Sareash narrow her eyes a bit as a few tears rolled over her cheeks “No”. She simply said “The military life is what you live for, it was abruptly taken from me and it still bothers me through this day that I am unable to serve. I don’t want you to be bored or make me the breadwinner of the house” She joked a bit and looked at Alice “I am just afraid of the results of this battle.“

"I am too. I don't want to die, and I don't want to lose you. I will hate winning, yet I cannot lose. So please….don't ask me to make the choice between losing something or everything." Alice took her hand and held it close, tightly holding it as if for dear life. She was trying so hard to make Sareashe understand, just how unfair what she had been demanding was. "I will come home, no matter what it takes. I don't live for the military, I live for you. I serve because I have things to protect."

“Alright..” She admits finally and nods softly trying to accept that this battle was going to come one way or another “Just come back to me, that’s all I ask of you” Sareash said in a sad voice.

"I will now let's dry our tears. We have a house to explore, think about how we're going to fill it family, and a bed to break in. Let us make this weekend a happy one, in hopes of the many more we'll have." Alice replied as she kissed that hand in her possession. She didn't want to think of the battle anymore, just of them, and the future they could have after. The admiral wanted to be lost in the seals of their love while she could.

@Jack Pine & RaWolfe
 
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