Hilda
More than a week had passed since the wedding of King Oswald to Queen Blair. The two enjoyed a short honeymoon together on Bastion, if one could call it that. The King handed most his duties to one of his ministers, or thanes, or others, but he still worked. The King enjoyed his pleasures, but he make sure it never interfered with his work.
Hilda had hated hearing the sounds of the queen. Hated when she spoke to her in her soft and kid voice, and she was kind she had to admit. She could see herself getting along with the queen in a different time and place, but she realized she was jealous of her, because she got to be queen, while Hilda would never be more than a lover.
Hilda accompanied the king to the space station where they had overlooked the ‘Jade Grip’ before it had been hers. It was the first time they had been alone since the wedding.
“I still don’t understand why we are here,” Hilda told the King. She was still in a sour mood, not just since learning that the King and Queen were to travel the Commonwealth or since the queen had also been granted several estates on worlds throughout the Commmonwealth, making her far more wealthy than Hilda, not that she wasn’t already to begin with.
What had made Hilda really sour was the fact that the King had demanded she accomany him and the queen on the voyage, and her protests had come to little. She was to abandon the notion of returning to the Furia Sector to hunt for pirates and raiders.
“I want to show you something,” the king said softly.
“You could have shown me on Bastion,” Hilda almost hissed but caught herself before it came out, and if the king noticed, he showed no sign.
The viewport was filled with starships. Dozens of them, all like the ‘Jade Grip’. The new Sword class Battleship. It was a fleet of them Hilda realized.
“I call it Task Force Bravo,” the king said.
“Task Force Bravo?” Hilda asked. The old Bravo had been decommissioned years ago.
“Thirty two state of the line battleships, crewed and ready for a commander,” King Oswald said.
“Their beautiful,” Hilda said in awe.
“And their yours,” King Oswald said with a grin.
“Mine?” Hilda asked in shock.
“Indeed. Who better to lead one of the greatest fleets in the Commonwealth than the woman I trust more than any other person?” King Oswald asked her.
“A fleet?” Hilda asked again. It was one thing to command a ship, there had been rumors of a ship for one as young as Hilda, but a fleet, there would be non stop gossip. “Why not another of the guard?” she asked.
“Because I want you, and if I must travel between the stars, I will feel safer knowing that you have a fleet to protect me, and our new queen.” King Oswald said.
“Our,” Hilda hissed.
King Oswald picked up her chin with a hand, and looked into Hilda’s eyes. “Our queen,” he said softly and kissed her lightly. “I need you,” he told her. “I need you by my side, and I need your protection.”
“You have the whole Commonwealth,” Hilda said and looked away.
“I need you, not traitors and ass lickers. You,” he said and kissed her again, and she didn’t fight him again.
