110 They're just people too

Wendy sat down at a table between dances as Duke Morely was pulled into a discussion with several other noblemen. As she looked around a woman sat down next to her and asked, "Are you enjoying the ball?"

Wendy smiled and nodded, "I am a little intimidated by all of the famous people here tonight, we were originally supposed to go to my Academy dance and yet somehow we ended up here."

The woman chuckled and said, "They're just people, judge them by who they are as individuals just like you would any other person you meet."

"Maybe it's because I don't know anyone here. Speaking of that, which one of them is Her Majesty?" Wendy looked around the room.

The woman giggled and pointed to a beautiful blonde woman in a black silk dress with a slit that went scandalously high up her right leg that was dancing with a handsome man, "That is Empress Emily. isn't she beautiful?"

Wendy nodded and gasped, "That dress is so daring!"

The woman giggled, "Mm, I know. Your dress is very beautiful too, Wendy. Did your mother make it for you, or was it the Duke's tailor?"

Wendy turned and looked at the woman with large eyes, "The Duke's tailor. How did you know my mother was a seamstress, wait and how did you know my name?"

"She's not a seamstress silly, she's the lead clothing designer for Mia's Secret. I know your name because you look just like her. I am Mia, by the way." She gently reached out her hand to shake hands with Wendy.

Wendy took the hand and gently shook it in return, "I'm sorry, I had no idea. Mom never really talks about her job. I always thought that there wasn't really a Mia, that it was just some large merchant's brand."

Teslaimia chuckled and replied softly, "Nope, I made it with my own two hands. Er, well, I hired the hands but they were initially my designs until I met your mother and now she deigns about half of them. Would you like to meet our Empress, Wendy?"

Wendy's eyes got big, "Is that allowed?"

Teslaimia stood up and waved to Emily to go come and join them. Between the next two songs, Emily came over and sat down with a smile, "That man nearly twirled my brains out." She looked at Wendy sitting next to Teslaimia and asked, "Hello, it's Wendy right? You are Victoria and Reemus's daughter?"

Wendy smiled and nodded, "Your Majesty, I am honored that you know who I am, normally the nobles just recognize me as Baron Davis's illegitimate daughter."

Emily chuckled, "Baron who? Reemus Staughler is a war hero, your mother is an important employee for my wife's business. That Baron? He's just a minor noble, how could he compare?"

Wendy's eyes got large as she slowly turned to Teslaimia, "You... You're Her Majesty Teslaimia?" Teslaimia was taking a drink of wine so she gave Wendy a wink in reply. Wendy looked at Emily again and with a blush on her face stammered out, "H-happy Birthday, Your Majesty."

Emily smiled happily, "Thank you very much. Did your date abandon you to go play with the guys?"

Wendy looked over at Duke Morely who was smiling as he spoke with a group of younger noblemen, "Mm, yeah, he is so odd. He acts like such a gentleman, but it's like he only wants to be seen with me rather than have any true interest in me. Does that make sense?"

Teslaimia and Emily looked at each other and laughed before Teslaimia spoke in a soft almost whisper, "Not all men are passionate lovers of women. Yet they are pressured by society and family obligation to marry and have children. Duke Morely is a good man, but he is not passionate about women." Teslaimia leaned back with a smile and spoke at her normal volume, "You know he once asked Emily to marry him."

Wendy looked at Emily, "Wow, he did? Didn't he know about you and Her Majesty Mia?"

Emily chuckled, "He did... I know Mia likes to gossip, but that isn't our story to share. I'm sure he will tell you himself at some point if you two continue to see each other."

After a few minutes, brave people started to crowd around the table with birthday greetings for Emily. Duke Morely finally peeled himself away from his circle of friends and brought Wendy back out to dance.

*****

A small group of men dressed all in black slowly circled around the well lit military base before one of the men managed to use the cover of a returning Fast Attack Carriage to sneak past the guarded gate. A soldier dressed in a Connaissance uniform met the man and the two of them quickly made their way to Asoka's room. A soft knock and then the man in black whispered, "Your Majesty, it's time."

The door opened and Emperor Asoka dressed in a Connaissance Army uniform came out and switched places with the man in black. The Emperor spoke softly, "Aanan, give me as long as you can. Try not to speak."

The Man in black bowed and said softly, "Fear not Your Highness. I will give you all the time you need. The Soldiers armed by the Kreussians will be waiting for you just outside. Please hurry!"

The soldier dressed in the Connaissance uniform spoke in a whisper, "I have use of a vehicle to transport goods to the Eastern Gate, Your Majesty. We'll be back in Injia before they even suspect you being gone."

Emperor Asoka and the soldier walked to a nearby Fast Attack Carriage that was loaded with food supplies meant for the Eastern Gate. Asoka smiled and shook his head, "Too bad you weren't transporting weapons."

The Soldier nodded, "Weapons for the city troops are only issued when we are being deployed to a mission. When will you have my gold?"

Asoka looked out the window, "As soon as we enter my empire my men will fill the back of your vehicle with it." Asoka reached under his seat and found a Tesla Wasp which he slowly slid into his lap as he mentally thanked his own man, Aanan. After leaving through the main city gate the fast attack carriage moved down the hill. Asoka said softly, "Slow down, my men will board at the first curve."

The men dressed in black each ran up and jumped into the back as the fast car came around the corner. When the men saw their Emperor they pumped their fists. One of the men dressed in black said in a loud whisper, "Quiet fools, we have a long way to go before we are safe."

*****

Wendy took a sip of wine and made a face, "This tastes awful, why do people go crazy for it?"

Duke Morely chuckled, "Yeah, I guess you're right. It's not really because of flavor though, most people go crazy for it because of the effects. Once you are a drinker for the effects of it, that's when you start to care about the flavor I suppose. This wine has a good flavor, it's sweeter than most wines, but yeah. It's still a glass of wine."

Wendy looked at him and noticed he hadn't been drinking much. "You aren't a drinker then?"

He shook his head and gave her a soft smile, "I don't like the taste either. It's expected at events like this otherwise, I would have a glass of cold water or maybe some lemonade."

Wendy smiled and nodded, "I used to make lemonade or fresh apple juice since the freshwater where I grew up was hard to come by." She watched him out of the corner of her eye for a few minutes and finally spoke out again, "You aren't like most of the men I know."

He raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

Wendy shrugged and said, "I don't know how to put it without it sounding like an insult... It's just that all of the men I have talked to here tonight looked at my chest when they talked to me except you. Are you even really interested in me, or am I here just to be a pretty girl on your arm?"

He stared at her for a moment and then chuckled as he shook his head, "I'm sorry Wendy, I admit I am not very good with women. I haven't been a good date then?"

Wendy shook her head and smiled, "No, it's not that. Hmm... I guess it's like this... When I talk with other women we all say we hate when men stare at our chests, but then when I go through an entire night with a guy not taking an interest I find myself doubting my own appeal? I guess that sounds like I am being contradictory."

He nodded, "Should I take a good long look then?"

Wendy laughed and gave him a playful punch in the arm, "That's not what I meant and you know it!"

*****

The Fast Attack Carriage stopped at the bottom of the hill and a guard came over to the driverside window, "Hey Frank, you have a passenger tonight huh? I thought you always do this run solo?"

The driver smiled, "I gotta take this joker with me tonight cause he is going to be taking over my route. I am going to be retiring soon."

The guard nodded, "The last war really shook up a lot of guys, we had three in our unit put in for retirement at the end of their four years too." He shined his light on Asoka's face and asked, "Hey new guy, what's your name?"

Asoka pulled his cap down over his eyes and replied back in a very natural Windsor Kingdom accent, "Allen Soka."

The guard smiled and then pointed east, "It's nice meeting you Al, take care Frank, let Lenny down at the East Gate know that I still remember he owes me that five Sprite."

The Fast Attack Carriage pulled away driving at a steady pace. Asoka looked at the driver and frowned, "Why did you bring attention to me like that? Are you trying to give us away?"

The driver frowned and then said sternly, "If I didn't talk to him like that then he would have known something was up. Did we get caught? No. You are paying me to get you over the border, and that's just what I am going to do."

"How will you get us through the gate?" One of the men in the back asked.

The driver smiled, "I usually go to this restaurant just past the gate when I come here at night. The guys at the gate are used to having me go through after I unload. It would be strange if I didn't." He waited for a while and then said, "How far do we need to go to reach the gold?"

Asoka smiled and said, "The gold will be in waiting in the same town."

They drove along for about thirty minutes until the gate came into sight the driver said, "All of you in the back make sure you are out of sight. This guard will make a cursory look through the back before I unload."

The men in black quickly hid under the tarps by the food storage boxes. The fast car came to a stop and the driver smiled, "Hey Lenny, just saw Hank, he still wants his five Sprite."

The guard laughed and shook his head, "That guy... I told him I'd pay him back when we met up again. He looked at Asoka and gave a head nod in his direction, "Who's the new guy, Frank?"

He smiled and said, "This is Al, he's going to be taking over for me. My four years are up at the end of this year."

Lenny held his light up and nodded, "Hey Al, my name is Lenny, I am the night watch leader here."

Asoka was annoyed so he only held up his hand.

Lenny smirked, "You have a real talker with you. Alright, well you know the routine." He waved them off and then walked back into his guard hut.

The Fast car pulled up to the storage area where Frank and Asoka quickly unloaded the food. The men in black helped from inside making sure not to be seen. Once it was empty they climbed back in and drover the East Gate and drove five minutes into town. Asoka pulled out the Tesla Wasp and put it against Frank's head and said softly, "Here's your gold."

Frank felt a warm wet sensation in his lap as he started to say, "No wai..." 'BANG!' Blood and brain matter splattered all over the inside of the Fast Attack carriage.