Chapter 28: A Suit of Amour

When Noble Lockheed stared down at the maid she couldn't really remember her name. That was a minor concerned

Who sent this maid to harass me? Why would someone want to know that I confessed. What did knowing how matter? It was supper embarrassing. What point could be made of a maid asking me?

Many other thoughts popped out, like the kisses after and falling asleep holding hands, the daydream she had of the morning featuring a very very intimate "spar".

It was no surprise she didn't ask a more articulate question.

"There is another maid I like." Maid Sarah blurted out, without holding back, the lady had been somewhat intimidating and hard to get close to before, however whatever happened made her look downright ruthless.

"Maid?" If she had been ruthless before, the girl clearly crossed into I will end your territory. Asking about a confession to see what worked to take her Iris away…

"Crystal! Crystal!" Sarah squeak like a mouse from the oppressive feeling before in a moment it vanished into nothing.

"Crystal? Rotthime?" Not all the servants had surnames, so some of them were addressed by their hometowns instead. Rotthime was dirt, in a dirt hole, far away from nowhere. Maid Crystal was a small mousey woman, malnutrition if the noble guessed, but certainly fit the bill for tiny and adorable.

"Yes, that one! -My lady!" As the pressure dropped it took a moment for the maid to recover a hint of her decorum. Collapsing onto the opposite couch, it was still an incredibly graceful action. Sarah was very impressed and wondered if it was the noble upbring or cultivation arts that allowed her to move like she was always dancing.

"If that's the case why come to me, did you happen to forget that I'm the noble of this house and an elder of the five great sects?"

"What are the five great sects?" If Crystal was a mouse than Sarah had more in common with the spacy hare. Perhaps the spirt variant, which at the 1000-year mark, would become near indestructible. Such beast was commonly found ignoring would be predators and other annoyances while grazing softly.

"Is this really the question you should ask right now?" Scoffed the noble.

"It's just I don't know anyone else and I'm afraid if I talk about it the other maids will spread rumors and…She might get hurt." Down cast eyes, the brown-haired maid didn't have a ton of confidence. Perhaps she used it all to approach the duchess to be.

Nobles did not accept same sex couples. Patriarchal hegemony at its best. The cultivation realm didn't like them given its desire to pass on cultivation and generational wealth but was more accepting. Beat them until they concede to your way of doing things. Clans and sects could disappear, and no one batted an eye, so what was two girls together in bed but a different path of the Dao.

"So, you came to me." There was more to the story, so the noble pondered for a moment before placing a tea set on the table. Sarah gasped in amazement as the ornate ceramic set materialized out of thin air. Having space in your storge rings for a tea set was a mark of strength or wealth. Basic storge bags that could store items independent, but still retain their weight, cost the same as the lifetime earnings average of a mortal.

Those space were still limited a half a cubic meter.

Two rings were on the index and middle fingers, both were made of exotic metals and spirt beast. High quality, room sized storage, of all nonliving items, nonperishable enchantments. Auto sorting and recall, simple interfacing and finally, soul-based protection against theft and removal.

Her rings could buy a country, each. Waving the girl aside, she begun to make tea, since the set was martial realm style, it was impossible for the maid to know how to use it. Distressed Sarah argued over that the maid should be doing it not the noble before the maid was cowed into submission.

"My lady, I could go get snacks if you like..."

"Sit." In no uncertain tone was the maid to get up. Chittering, the maid waited and then imitated the noble as they drank. Maids of a ducal household were not just servants, considered to be more than just furniture. Basic lessons on tea, wine, and food, were included when one became an employee. This was such that when guest asked for recommendations or instructions were vague, one could select a modest pairing.

Mint pepper tea was not something that anyone drank anywhere in the noble realm, and it was clear after a sip that the maid didn't get the flavor at all.

"Honestly, I don't remember much, but I think I just asked." The noble had been so ecstatic that she had been accepted that she forgot most of it.

"Is it that easy? What if she hates me for it?"

"Make her submit than, forcibly." Maid Sarah felt there was something wrong with that suggestion. It was true the lady of the house was different than she had been.

"Well, everyone knows Lady Iris was interested in you since like forever." Sugar bowls were used instead of cubes, and the bowl the noble held fell out of her hands.

"That's got nothing to do with anything, I couldn't win against her even if I tried." Iris hadn't treated her special initially. What really made them draw closer was the training they did when the two of them had both been in the martial realm. When she was going to break through to nascent soul realm, they thought she would be able to return home. It had been then that it was clear the two didn't want to separate.

"We had it rough, I think the two of you have a better shot." Despite her assurance the maid across from her still looked despondent.

"If it's meant to be its meant to be?" Dark storm clouds gathered over the maid.

"…You can be with her you know, as long as I'm here I won't allow for anyone to bully or discriminate against my people." While things didn't get worse, they certainly didn't get better. Valentine took a moment to sort out her storm of thoughts, cursing her inability to comfort or help others.

"How do I even know she likes girls? How do I know…" That was a question that everyone asked themselves at some point. Love was…what she and Iris had. Something that felt right or just.

Possibly, the more Valentine had thought about it the more hopeless it had become. No matter what she had just wanted to love the other girl, and her small romantic experience told her that it was what was right for her, no matter what. Son of heaven notwithstanding, her sexuality hadn't been anything important to worry about because she had ended up in a realm and place where no one really cared.

"I don't think its something to worry about, if she doesn't like girls there's nothing you can do. If you are unsure than why not explore it together? Even if it all goes south, I can help set things up for you if you have to leave."

Wondering how much to say, reading the maid like an opponent in battle helped her see that this person needed something specific to help her.

"Some people just know. It's not fair to those of us who cannot figure things out. However, once you step outside of your own place, it's not as big a deal as one could worry about in their heads forever. I found out when one of my teammates was head over heels for her senior. Rabid little thing." Throwing her arms back and sinking into the couch, the noble abandoned pretense.

"If you honestly think you love her, then isn't she worth the risk? Senior leader told me that once she had simply let go of the problem, she was able to move forward."

"Hold not back love, for if one truly loves the pair shall find happiness." Master Song had told them that one, though she was referring to the perfect beer pairing at the time.

"It took Iris almost dying for me to realize that I couldn't hold back anymore, I hope it goes better for you."

That caused the storm clouds to vanish. With watery eyes the maid seemed to have her burdens lifted.

"Thank you so much!" Leaping across the table, the maid was redirected and thrown across the study.

"Don't leap at me like that." Scolding Sarah as she was upside down on the floor.

"Though I would put on some less childish undies before you do, I don't think panties with strawberries on them inspires confidence to confess to you crush…"

!@# !@# !@#

While the two talked more and fleshed out a general plan to get the Crystal/Sarah ship to sail, Iris Xin was quietly practicing in the garden. Having spent the last few years in the martial realm, she had forgotten what happened when she had to get dressed up for formal occasions.

Feeling prickled, the grand sword saint of the rainbow kind felt that there was an unusual amount of people present for a solo practice session. Morning spars attracted a great deal of traffic from others, given how flashy it looked there was no surprise.

"Yes, Head maid? "Iris held her pose with one foot in the air arms out in front defensively. Despite facing the opposite direction, she managed to detect the advancing maid with zero trouble.

"Lady Xin, it's time to get ready for the ball." Outsiders would see a zoomed out frozen shot, no wind no movement.

"Pa" Making some sort of puffing sound that didn't qualify as a real word, Iris vaulted into the heavens. Landing at the entrance to the gardens she ignored the sudden rush of people into the space she just vanished from. Two knights enlisted by the maid corps, moved to block her path. Flipping a jade fan out her sleeve, she darted aside, two sift jabs, causing the guards to collapse in her wake.

Recalling the numerous times, she had evaded capture to escape the torment of noble preparations, there wasn't a lot of hiding places left for her. She did have an ace in the hole, but it wasn't ideal now. The suit of amour on the third floor would do.

Maids and guards were patrolling the corridors opening doors and cabinets indiscriminately. From her metal shell, the sage watched a maid pair walk by unaware of how close she was. Her main goal was to waste enough time that they could do all the excessive beauty treatments that were painful. She didn't mind the bath and dressing was acceptable, but who wanted to have hair forcibly removed from their body with tweezers?

A more experienced pair began to come by tapping the armor suits in the hallway as they walked by. She waited until they made move to tap before bouncing down from the pedestal in the opposite direction. Clattering and clanking as she moved the maids turned around and shouted a location. Runners began to move, and criers began to disseminate the information. Reaching a window, she dove out of the amour suit hoping up three floors before settling in a large vase.

"Tricky girls." All the large artwork that could fit a person had seals in them to prevent her from hiding in them. They even put powder on them, what a dedicated group.

Fortunately, she had more options as a fully realized cultivator than she had before. It was no burden for her to hide on top of one of the canopies of a four-poster bed, in the annex with a lightless skill.

"Iris Xin, don't blame this elder for being unkind if you don't come to me right now!"

"Damn, nothing I can do about that." Having a girlfriend yell across the estate, there was no way Iris was getting out of it. Bounding down, flickering across the halls, she zeroed in in on the noble.

"What do you need dearest elder?" Appearing in the hall where the noble was standing outside her study, Iris was wary of any pursuit.

"Why is every maid and guard in the estate looking for you?" Hands on her hips and haughty to the hilt, Valentine was enjoying a pleasant chat when maid Sarah let slip that all the other maids were set to track down the noble's lover.

"I have no idea?" Pretending to play dumb was a standard tactic, if they bought you were good, if they didn't, you looked cute and endearing.

"So, you don't know that this happens every time a formal event occurs?" Valentine knew the whole story. Iris was still hopeful she could spin this into a positive direction.

"It's part of the duchy security protocols. I must make sure my sweetheart is safe right?"

Rather than blow holes in her story, Valentine leaned in hands on her hips. Flustered Iris tried to back away but was captivated by her cute but angry expression.

"There she is!" Cries and locations funneled outward as the maid knight brigade funneled in. Armed with blunted pikes and swords the group swarmed in.

"Ha, you think things will be the same as last time think again!" Fired up, literally in this case as her aura spilled outward. For a moment the maid corps was nervous about what was happening until their noble lady saved the day.

"You mean because I'm here to catch you." Gently wrapping her arms around her lover with a soft sweet voice. Once again trapped the martial sage couldn't help but sputter.

"I'm the rainbow sage…this is…" Iris spoke weakly.

"Give it up and quit troubling the staff." Snaped the noble, her good will vanishing. Handing her off to the maids Iris could help but jab traitor.

"Don't you want to look your best, for me?" Peering at the martial warrior with all the soft pitiful coy love look she could manage, the noble whispered this in her partners ears. Rainbow sage ceased all resistance after that.

Iris no longer regrated as she was dragged away by the collar.