Baroness Ansatz Mayberry

The overly eventful day was followed by several more quiet ones. The news of the explosion spread through the town like wildfire, but the real experiment behind it all was a closely guarded secret that only four people knew - Adanita, Rosamund, Lilac, and Teodolit, who was later informed. Teodolit came out as a witch to Lilac, who took it better than Rosamund expected. Nivelir was done with interviews of the pirates, he got everybody's names, crimes, and previous education, and was preparing a set of tests for them before the classes could begin. He proceeded with the work with Rosamund's tacit support, but without Teodolit's assistance, since the man started working with Lilac nearly immediately after Doctor Soxhlet declared him healthy enough to work. Adanita gladly stepped up in his place, taking over the logistics along with Nivelir.

Rosamund was busy with other administrative work that came with running a colony. After all, the storm had caused a certain amount of damage all across the archipelago. Unfortunately he had to work alone, since his secretary was busy with another urgent matter. His long daily visits to the city and the docks seemed to exhaust him enough, and Rosamund wasn't planning to ruin his evening peace by giving him more to work on. His injuries were healing up well enough, he no longer needed his sling. Thanks to the care he received from Lilac and Doctor Soxhlet, he had no infections, and it seemed that his face wasn't going to scar. The cut on his arm was, unfortunately, too deep, but at least that would be hidden by clothes. During this time, a few letters had arrived, mostly wishes for his recovery from other nobles. Baroness Mayberry replied to his invite too, setting a date of her arrival to his manor, just a day before Nivelir planned to conduct the exams.


Adanita didn't come to visit him.


He decided he will let her be in peace. It wasn't about his pride, he made a mistake and he was willing to own up to it. He apologized, and he would gladly continue apologizing if he thought that was something she'd want from him. She clearly just needed some peace. He saw her on the training grounds several times, when she wasn't in the city with Nivelir. Perhaps this was her way to clear her head. He didn't disturb her unnecessarily.

Meanwhile, Ekliptik was an absolute darling. They attempted to fill in for Nivelir, but their lack of experience with Bretonian law, customs, and abyssal and abysmal bureaucracy would more often have him stop his work just to explain the more difficult concepts to the teenager. He didn't mind the role of a teacher, despite it making his progress slow down to the snail pace. They were clever, and didn't require him to repeat himself. Adanita wasn't joking when she said they had a near perfect memory. Having a student that was both smart and happy to learn was honestly heartwarming. Whenever they came to him with a question, he gladly dropped anything he was working on. Their skin was also clearing up, whatever Lilac gave them was effective. Rosamund was happy.


On the day the response from Baroness Mayberry came, Rosamund pondered just sending a servant to inform Adanita. After gathering some courage, he firmly decided against it. He went to find her himself.

She was on the training grounds, a fair distance away from the guards that were practicing together. Her cutlasses were replaced by two wooden swords, barely less dangerous in her expert hands. Her swings were powerful and decisive, her eyes focused, and her pose confident. She wore a simple shirt and trousers, nothing that would restrict her movements. Her sky blue coat and swords were left on a nearby bench. He decided to take a seat there, waiting for her in silence.

Watching her, he noticed she was pushing herself to her limit. She was covered in sweat and dust. Her heavy boots left deep marks in the dirt of the training grounds, telling a story of her exercise. Despite her obvious awareness of his presence, she didn't stop until she was done with the tasks she set for herself. He refused to disturb her from doing something that was clearly important to her. He also happily ignored the concerned looks and commotion his presence has caused among the guards who were also working out. If Adanita could deal with it, they should too.

Finally, she set the wooden swords back where she found them, and walked up to the bench. She took her swords, tying the belt around her waist. She moved the coat out of the way and sat down, clearly tired.

"Lord Governor," she greeted.
He wondered if she would be sitting by his side had she not been this exhausted. Should he give her more space...? No, getting up without a word would be offensive. Of all people, he didn't need to worry about Adanita enduring unnecessary awkward situations. If he was a bother, she would leave. Right? "Captain," he said in return. "I see you are hard at work. Your form is impeccable. If you'd have me, I would enjoy sparring with you again at some point."
"You are injured."
"I will heal."
"Your skill is too lacking, I'd need to be too careful to properly exercise."
His fingers started to itch. One of these days he should demonstrate his skills with firearms. Just because he was the worst swordsman in this group of unlikely friends, it didn't mean he was useless or weak. He simply focused on other things. "I see. In that case, I will leave you train on your own." He glanced towards the guards that looked towards them with concern. "Are they bothering you?"
"I can sense their looks, but they leave me alone mostly. Once or twice, there were some comments about my presence, but I dealt with it."
"Please elaborate."
"By happenstance, one of the wooden swords I was wielding flew out of my hand. It was a very tragic accident, and I apologized profusely."
"Were there any injuries in that accident?"
"Thankfully, no. The sword flew by a man's head, but missed him completely."
"I see. In the interest of preventing such accidents in the future, you can direct those people to me. I didn't endure any insults during my stay in Hannau Cove, and I will not tolerate if any are given to you."
"...thank you," she quietly said.

Rosamund decided to give her a smile. "You must be tired. Let's have a cup of tea."
"Is there a specific reason why you came to see me?" she asked.
"Yes. But I don't see why I should simply tell you the news and leave. Unless you don't want my company, in which case, I will leave immediately after I tell you what I have."
"You were the one that didn't seem to want my company."
"I apologize. I offended you, and I didn't want to bother you with my presence after that. I thought you may prefer some distance from me."
"I see."
"I jumped to a conclusion," he said. "And it was one that my brother refused to consider, even in his state of shock." The result of the experiment clearly frightened Lilac, but he still kept a clear mind. "I will keep apologizing as many times as you want me to. I believe you."
"It's not that..." she quietly said.
Something else was bothering her. It was clear as day. "Would you like to tell me what it is?" he asked.
"No. Or at least... not now."
"Would you like me to leave?"
"I'm not sure. At least tell me what you needed me for, first."
"A letter arrived from Baroness Mayberry. She will visit us in six days time, out of consideration for my administrative duties and injuries. Do you think you will be well enough for a meeting with her then?"
"Aye."

There, his report was done. He continued sitting by her side, waiting for her to either accept his invitation or to tell him to leave. Or to leave. He was patient, and she was visibly tired and sad. She had some dark circles under her eyes, he noticed. Not formed enough to see it from a distance, but it certainly seemed she had trouble sleeping. The way she was sitting implied a sort of a burden on her back. Asking her if her nightmares returned would be extremely stupid at this time. The answer was obvious and if she wanted to bring them up, she already would have. Asking her if she'd prefer to sleep on her ship could easily be taken the wrong way, but she didn't have nightmares there. Still, he didn't want to make it seem as if he was trying to tell her to leave. She was hurting. He wasn't sure how to make it better.

"Trust," he finally said, "is a very fragile thing." That couldn't end there. She would think he doesn't trust her. That was not what he meant. He mentally kicked himself, trying to drag his brain into gear. "It is as strong as its foundation, and sometimes even the best foundation has a hole in it, waiting to collapse all that was already built. I am aware that my reaction was about as kind as a cannon aimed straight at that weakness. I made you doubt me. I am truly sorry for that, and I won't bother you further if you don't want my company. We do miss you during the meals. You are pleasant to be around." Did he reach her? Did he dare to look?
"It's not that I want you to never speak to me again. I suppose you were right in giving me space, I would have been far more upset before. I still am. And besides, it's not that."

She said that before, too. He remembered Lilac telling him she was completely out of it before they went to do those experiments. The problem was that there was a problem, and he didn't know what the problem was. His mind almost trailed off to pondering whether this was a paradox or tautology. Or possibly both - no, he had to focus. He had to try again. "Do you want to tell me what it is that's bothering you, then?"
"Not at this time, no."
Well then, she made herself clear enough times. He didn't want to pester her further. He worried, of course, but she put up this wall, and suddenly he wasn't someone she would confide in anymore. He could accept that. "You can come to me whenever you'd like," he said.
"Thank you."
It sounded like she meant it. "Would like to have that tea with me?" he offered, standing up.
"No. I am tired. Some other time, Lord Governor."
"I understand. Have a nice day, Captain."

That went better than he feared, although worse than he hoped. Small victories. Adanita joined the usual group for dinner two days later, and became a regular guest again afterwards. She didn't come visit to tell him what the issue was, and according to Nivelir, the people she interacted with managed to stay reasonably decent while in her company. It seemed she wasn't openly receiving any harassment, aside from that incident with his guards. He had a word with Guard Captain Hexkey about it, so hopefully it won't happen again. In either case, she seemed to be doing a bit better, and they were on decent terms. He even managed to make her laugh a few times during their meals. Progress.


Baroness Ansatz Mayberry arrived as she announced, in a carriage and with minimal escort consisting only of her coachman. Rosamund and Adanita waited to greet her as soon as she arrived. He wore a finely embroidered outfit in dark, soft violet colors. His face was mostly healed by this point, and he was almost back to his old, beautiful self. Adanita was wearing her usual outfit, including the coat and the hat. She and the tailor Rosamund had found haven't yet come to an agreement on the topic of clothes, unfortunately.

The coachman helped Baroness Mayberry out of the carriage. She was wearing a fine dress full of lace and embroidery, with wide sleeves and a shawl wrapped around her shoulders. She kept her jewellery to a minimum, opting for a simple pearl necklace, and a pearl earring in every ear. To Rosamund's expert eyes, the dress looked far more casual than what a woman would wear to a social event, meaning that she correctly read the situation and dressed appropriately for a private, friendly gathering. She was a few years older than him, and already had two nearly-adult children, so her pastel pink hair already turning gray was hardly a surprise to see. Her eyes were a bright blue color, clear and calm.

Rosamund extended a hand to her. "Baroness Mayberry," he greeted. "It is a pleasure to see you again. I am most grateful for your response to my letter."
"Lord Governor," she greeted in return, taking his hand in a short and firm handshake. "The pleasure is all mine." She looked him over from head to toe, in an almost motherly display of concern for his injuries, before turning towards Adanita. "You must be the infamous guest Lord Governor mentioned," she said. Her voice was not unfriendly, but quietly demanded respect and a proper introduction.
Which Rosamund gladly provided. "Very much so. It is my honor to introduce you to Captain Adanita Vervain, the Queen of the Free Pirate Republic of Hannau Cove. Captain Vervain, this is Baroness Ansatz Mayberry, an old acquaintance of mine."
"How do you do," Adanita said, also offering her a handshake while trying her best to mirror Rosamund's posture and the way of speech.
"Goodness, shaking hands with a Queen," Baroness said, accepting it with a small smile. "What a strange turn of events in my life."
"I hope I lived up to the expectations," she dryly said.
"Fret not," Baroness said, briefly eyeing her swords. "You are exactly how I expected you to be, and I mean it in the most positive way. Your skills are a subject of many dramatic tales during the social season in the Capital. I hope I may one day see a display of your swordsmanship, although I fear I am too old to be on the receiving end of it."
"Would you like to follow us to the garden? I prepared a quiet spot for tea for the three of us," Rosamund said.
"Most gladly."

Behind her back, Adanita gave him a questioning look and pointed at the woman. He subtly shook his head. No, this was not a threat or an insult, Baroness just thought Adanita was cool.

"So how do you know Lord Governor, Baroness?" Adanita tried as they walked down the path. "This colony is a fair distance away from Bretonia."
"It will become a much smaller distance. I have heard Mage Master Lilac is forming a teleportation circle to the Capital," she said. "But to answer you, we have met perhaps six or seven times during two different social seasons. I am quite a rare sight in Bretonia, to be honest. We only go there when my husband's political duties direly demand his departure. In his youth, Lord Governor left quite an impression on me."
Youth?! She was half his age right now! Right now, as they were speaking! She had no right! "I am still young, dear Baroness. I plan to live for at least a century, don't put me on the deathbed just yet," he said with a calm voice.
Baroness Mayberry gave him a playful smile in return.

They arrived to the table with three chairs that Rosamund ordered to be set up. It was in the shade of the large oak tree, with branches that seemed to be built for climbing, and dark bark with deep cracks all through it. The branches were fully covered in leaves, making its shade perfect for a small afternoon tea party. The elegant metal table was covered with a fine cotton cloth, with flowery crocheted lace at the hem. It held a fine assortment of cookies and sweets, as well as fresh fruits, and of course, a delicate porcelain tea set. Several servants were waiting at the ready, Ekliptik among them, and they held the chairs for the trio.

Rosamund had already explained to Adanita that the first part of the meeting was the most important - Baroness will have to form a positive opinion of her before they can even consider asking her for help. With his occasional encouragement, the ladies successfully managed to keep an interesting, albeit neutral, conversation about the weather. From weather to the storm, from the storm to a short discussion about the damages and Rosamund's actions to manage them, back to the sea, and finally, to the ships. Baroness allowed Adanita a deep explanation of her ship, Vivienne, how she did in the storm, the technical details, the cannons, the storage space, and how she did on long journeys.
"I am happy to see you take such good care of her, Captain Vervain," Baroness said. "It was quite a shock to see her in the bay after all those years. I often worried how she ended up, but you seem to be a highly competent Captain. She is in good hands."

Wait. Wait. Something happened there, and both Rosamund and Adanita were trying to catch up to the meaning of her words.
"You, ah, sailed on her before?" Adanita dared to ask.

"I was her navigator, back when her name was Veritas," she said.

Adanita turned to him with a deep disapproving frown on her face. He managed to keep his expression neutral. "I was not aware you were a sailor before, Baroness."
"Not just a sailor," she said. "My position was quite high for a commoner, I'll have you know. I was a merchant's daughter, so my parents managed to provide education for me when I declared I desired to join the navy. Being among the crew that managed to lose the ship to pirates had quite an unfortunate way of tanking my career, though."
"How did you get a title, then?" Adanita directly asked.
"By marriage, of course. I met Costansin when I turned to mercenary work, and I stayed by his side even after my work was over. Back then, he had angered one guild of thieves by cleaning them out from his territory, which has a way of plaguing a man with assassins," she said with a nostalgic smile. "Ah, but I suppose that is a story for another time. For his efforts, he received land in the colonies, and I came with him."
"You're telling me I've been trying my best to be nice and noble-y, when I could've just talked like a normal person?"
"I suppose so. Nonetheless, it was entertaining to watch your efforts. I am most grateful for your display." Baroness sipped her tea.
"I didn't know you had such a rich and colorful history, Baroness," Rosamund said. He couldn't really hide a very amused smile on his face, even though he tried to thoughtfully put a hand over his mouth. Adanita looked like she was fuming inside. Even if she strangles him later, this was worth it.
"It is not exactly something to mention while you are on a gathering of highest nobles. By the time we met, the most annoying of rumors had already died down enough for me to play a potted plant in the corner of the event hall."
He nodded in understanding.
Next to him, mildly annoyed Adanita relaxed her shoulders and ran her fingers through her hair. Baroness turned to her once again. "As I was saying, the ship was quite a shock, but I am not certain how I managed to keep a straight face once I exited the carriage. Last I have seen of you, Captain Vervain, you were shorter than me, sticking your tongue out and making faces at the sailors that were being lowered into the sea on rescue boats."
Rosamund couldn't help but let out a laugh as her face and ears turned a dark color. She acted as if she was being scolded by an aunt, and Baroness certainly kept up that appearance despite being perhaps a decade older than her.
Baroness ignored him and continued. "I hardly expected to meet the same brat from back then, all grown up and declared the new Queen. Your progress is most impressive, as are your achievements thus far."
"Thank you, Baroness," she hissed quietly. "I am glad to have left such a lasting impression on you."
"As am I, if for this moment alone. So, now that we have gotten pleasantries and embarrassments out of the way - Lord Governor, why am I here?" she asked.

Rosamund wiped the smile off of his face. This topic was both serious and important. "Captain Vervain and I planned to request your assistance with something. She needs to learn the women's etiquette and I believe now more than ever that you would be the perfect choice for a teacher."
"Are you planning to have her debut in the Bretonian Court?"
"It will be a necessary step."
"For what, pray tell?"
"She will be requesting a Royal Pardon for the entirety of Hannau Cove."
"Oh!" Baroness pressed her fingers on her mouth. Her gaze wandered from him, to Adanita, back to him. "And where does the debut come into this?" she asked.
"Considering the scale of the Pardon, I believe she will need to show herself to the Queen. She is speaking in the name of several Captains and a whole city. Showing her capabilities and authority will certainly require support from me, and it will also require the knowledge of nobles and how to handle them. She will be fighting on foreign land with foreign weapons, so to speak. The least we can do is provide her with some training."
"I see your meaning," she said. She leaned on her elbow, now taking a pose more fit for a mercenary. It somehow managed to not clash with her dress. She was both a commoner and a noble, and she could swim in both waters. "I can also see that you are keeping something from me. I won't ask you what it is just yet, but know I am offended by your lack of trust. If you ask somebody for help, you should tell them everything, Lord Governor."
He nodded, accepting her criticism, but not agreeing to it.
She continued. "Whatever it is that you are up to with the Pirate Queen will certainly bring some new and interesting events to this land. I have a feeling that my entertainment will be short-lived should I deny my assistance to Captain Vervain. So, yes. I wish to see how this situation unfolds. Assuming neither of you are attempting to commit treason against the Crown, you have my full- you are not attempting to commit treason, are you?"
"No!" Rosamund firmly said. If only because no such law exists yet - he checked. Well, there were numerous uprisings of plebs in the history of Bretonia, but they weren't tried for treason specifically. As for lands that attempted to regain their freedom from the Crown, history decided to remember it as civil wars rather than treacherous rebellions. So, no. Not treason. This was not a lie, if only by a technicality.
Her bright eyes continued piercing through him and his mental excuses. He managed to look her back in the eyes without wavering, before she finally looked away and turned to Adanita.
"I must arrange for someone to manage the household duties before I can devote myself to you, Captain Vervain. It would be an honor if I could call you by your name, now that we are better acquainted. You may call me by mine, too."
Adanita gave her a careful nod. "It will be a pleasure... lady Ansatz."
She nodded in approval. "Very good. I will send you a letter when I can start coming in for daily lessons." She took a cookie and decisively bit into it.

It seemed that the discussion was over. Ally gained, great job for everyone involved. Adanita successfully managed to charm her first noble. Or, well, second. He counted, right? The ladies began to discuss Baroness' family, after which she gladly chatted with Rosamund, informing him of the latest gossip among the ladies. Rosamund wasn't overly well-known among the nobility that lived in this colony, but it seemed they knew Khamil quite well. The general opinion of the man wasn't very high, but when he was the only one to return with a story, they obviously believed it. Rosamund's dramatic return definitely got the people to second-guess the story. That meant there was some progress with the court of the public opinion, although the people were wary of the pirates. He was told that numerous nobles were waiting for an invitation from him, eager to hear the latest gossip and an explanation, but he decided to continue using his injuries as an excuse for the time being. Baroness Mayberry promised that she will look into spreading more rumors, including his version of the events. Considering that Rosamund had opened an active investigation into Khamil's financial situation, he was inclined to believe such an intervention won't be necessary - although he was grateful.

By the end of the conversation, Adanita looked as if she was nearly back to her best self. At that point, she wasn't afraid of the Baroness anymore, and even cracked a few jokes with her in response to her incessant light teasing. They parted on friendly terms.

That evening, he went to sleep deeply pleased with himself. They were making good progress. They only needed to keep it up.