Chapter 58: Girls on a Train

The station was a building Ann had caught sight of in the distance once, but hadn’t gotten a chance to explore. Keeping pace with Kat and Arthur, they had made their way around to the opposite side of the Keep. The building stood out from the dark shades that comprised the rest of the city. It was bright white marble or something like it, with pillars lining the entrance. The walls were made of red brick and festooned with notices, posters, and other announcements. The roof was the only thing that shared the blacks of Graven Keep, sloped shingles reflecting the sunlight and melting the snow as they absorbed heat.

“Wow, this is like a… never seen something like it before,” Ann marveled as she got closer, catching herself from letting her past slip around the knight.

“Welcome to the home of my family’s pride and joy,” Bren said, beaming. “The stations are made identical to each other. Only minor variances for their locations are allowed so as to create a familiar process for all travellers. We will enter the main entrance, however with our current retinue we will be bypassing the public lines.”

“You mean the commoners,” Arthur grunted. The man hadn’t spoken the entire time they’d walked to the train station, and his insistence on talking down to people was starting to grate on Ann.

“You know I’m a commoner too, right?” she blurted before her brain could catch up. “Rosalyn too. And we’ve been fighting side by side with Kat and Bren this whole time. The fuck makes you so much better?”

Arthur turned, glaring at her down his crooked nose. “There is an order,” he growled. “Those who have power, and those that do not. I do not concern myself with those who do not. You, girl, and your friend, do not.”

“Oi,” Kat shouted, grabbing his attention with a fist that bounced off his chest with no effect. “Ye talk like that tae them again an’ I’ll ‘ave yer title.”

Arthur cocked an eyebrow at her, seemingly unimpressed, and chose silence. Turning, he stalked into the station.

“Sorry. He’… we’ll fill ye in on what ‘is feckin deal is durin’ the ride,” Kat apologised, clasping her hands together pleadingly.

Ann took a couple breaths, smoothing her tail that had fluffed out in her anger. “Yeah. Not gonna let him walk all over me, though,” she said, following Kat.

Rosalyn had hidden behind her during the brief confrontation, and moved up to her side. “I really don’t like him.”

“Me neither,” Ann agreed, holding her girlfriend’s hand. “Let’s just get this over with.”

The inside of the building was as grandiose as the exterior. Everything was sparkling clean and polished stone and wood. Dark marble lined the floors, while the wood-paneled walls provided colour to the spacious entrance. A line of desks with similarly shining wood stood on the opposite side of the entrance, with gaps between, allowing people to pass. Time was kept by a large clock suspended horizontally from the ceiling. Ann couldn’t see any ropes or cables, so she suspected magic was at work here.

Benches filled the empty floor space, populated by travellers coming and going from the Keep. Ann saw a group of mercenaries, more than a few merchants buzzing around the area, and a large amount of what she guessed were normal citizens. All shapes and types were present and navigated the busy building with a familiar ease.

They reached the rightmost counter, one that was marked as reserved for persons of import.

“Badges and business, sir?” The clerk, a mousy Indol man, asked, looking up at them over round spectacles.

They passed their identification over, and Arthur answered, “We are returning to the Capital with great haste. The royal car will be needed for this trip. Have it arranged at once.”

“Oh, my, apologies, your highness,” the man bowed to Katlyn. “We will have it brought out and attached as quickly as possible. The next train is scheduled to leave within the hour, but I believe we will have just enough time. Please, make your way to the private waiting room, and an attendant will notify you when we are ready for departure. Is there any luggage we may assist with?”

Kat and the rest indicated their packs and packages they’d brought along. A man in a crisp uniform appeared from somewhere nearby and began loading their things onto a wagon, whisking it away without a word.

“Welcome to the Graven Keep Station, and please enjoy your trip,” the man said with another flashy bow.

Kat looked thoroughly uncomfortable as they proceeded past the desk, down the main hall of the station, and into a side room. Arthur, thankfully, decided his post was outside the door, rather than with them.

“Feckin pomp an’ circumstance shite,” Kat swore, falling back on to a couch.

“This place is really nice!” Rosalyn finally spoke up, looking around.

The room was large enough to fit a few more people than their party possessed comfortably. Couches and chairs surrounded a couple tables. Plates of cookies and pots of tea adorned the rich wooden tables, something Bren was already taking advantage of.

Ann heard her stomach growl and joined him. Missing breakfast was annoying and not helping her mood.

“Don’t eat too much, we’ll ‘ave food on the ride,” Kat informed her, grabbing her own cup. “Sorry about Arthur. Not high up on me list o’ people I woulda sent, but Polaris probably ‘ad ‘er reasons.”

“He says something else or talks down to Rosalyn again I’m gonna hit him,” Ann warned.

“Ye can try,” Kat sighed. “Ye saw how much good tha’ did me. We can ‘ave a word wit the family once we get back. Probably get ‘im stuck up in the far north if there isn’t somethin’ he’s needed fer.”

“What does he do, besides be a massive jackass?” Ann asked around a mouthful of cookie.

“He’s… one o’ the kingdom’s best knights,” Kat sighed, taking a sip of her tea. “Not as good as yers, Bren. Anyway, he’s been in some pretty damn important battles o’er the years.”

“The Battle of Frozen Water, the skirmish with the Bortislav Empire when they got a scouting party through to us. He’s pretty far up there on the times someone’s cleared a Seed for being one of the shorter lived species,” Bren informed them. “Really, it is as impressive as his general attitude is unwanted. The man has earned his title, his status, and his reputation. As Katlyn said, we would be best dealing with him indirectly. He would not with Katlyn here, but if he took serious offence, there would be little we could do to stop him.”

“Not sure how I feel, knowing your family keeps him around,” Ann grumbled.

“Aye, well, he’s also got some sponsorship in the court, ye see,” Kat sighed. “A couple o’ the more aggressive families see him as a good thing fer the nobility. It’s a bitch o’ a thing tae deal wit’, an’ Da’s spent many a night whingin’ about it.”

“He’s the king though, right?” Rosalyn asked. “Couldn’t he just unseat him? Seems like something he should be able to do. They’re the kingdom’s knights.”

“An’ tha’, little sheep,” Kat laughed, tousling Rosalyn’s hair affectionately, “is why I feckin’ hate politics.”

“No kidding. I couldn’t deal with him being all bossy and shitty to people. Nope, not my thing at all,” Rosalyn nodded. “Too many people, too much pressure, and way too many of all that wanting to talk to you at all times.”

“Well, hate to break it to you,” Bren sighed. “You are going to have to learn to deal with it to some degree. The courts will not be leaving us alone once news of Annita’s Path and status as Champion gets out. I honestly would not be surprised if they have not heard something by now. What with a new woman travelling with the princess? That is sure to garner attention.”

“Yeah, well, still won’t like it,” Rosalyn pouted adorably.

“That’s what we’re here for,” Ann said, wrapping a comforting arm around her. “Just let any of us know when you’re getting overwhelmed and we can back things off a little. Or let you escape.”

“Within reason,” Bren amended.

“Yeah, I guess there’d be times when we can’t. Ugh,” Ann hugged Rosalyn closer, feeling the woman snuggle in for comfort.

After a while spent in relative quiet, a knock sounded at the door. “Your highness, and companions, the train is ready for you.”

Arthur held the door open for them, eyes scanning the bustling hall as they made their way, guided through by the attendant who came to fetch them.

The train was bigger than Ann expected it to be. She’d been on a cross country rail or two in her day, but those seemed to be half the size. At the head of the long line of cars was a black behemoth of an engine. Its form was like that of a revolver chamber. Sleek, and with divots where she thought bullets would normally go. Further back, since she couldn’t see the front from here, there was a cabin with closed doors and several windows where the conductors would be operating everything. She didn’t see a place for coal to burn, so she assumed the train would work off something else. She also expected to be ushered to the back car, which had historically been used as an observation car from what she remembered from some anime she’d watched.

She posed the question to Bren, who looked surprised, but quickly recovered. “Oh, no. You would not be familiar with it, considering where you are from, but in this kingdom the car for dignitaries and the like is stationed at the front. All trains carry supplies between cities, and this one will be no exception. That,” he pointed to a gold trimmed, wood lined, lavish car, “is the car used specifically for royalty. That will be our car, as we travel with our dear princess Katlyn.” He said the last part with a smirk, drawing a glare from Kat.

They piled in, taking stock of their accommodations. The inside was as lavish as the outside. Wood couches softened with plush green cushions lined the walls. Elegantly carved tables dotted the floor, allowing space for the car’s occupants to mingle while underway. Smaller tables were set towards the back, two chairs a piece, for smaller scale discussions.

To the right side of the rear was a small bar, and a bartender already stationed. The woman was polishing glasses and checking stock, though Ann suspected she was simply trying to look busy. She wore a surprisingly modern outfit of a black vest with white undershirt, black trousers. Gold and silver embroidery formed the pattern of vines and trees in the shape of the Kingdom’s crest across each piece of clothing.

“Your highness,” Arthur bowed, though it was a bit stiff, “We’ll be departing in the next five minutes. I will be patrolling the other cars for now. Call if you need me.”

“Dismissed,” Kat waved her hand, shooing the man from the car.

After he left, she sagged on a couch. “Feckin’ finally. He’ll stay outta our hair fer a while.”

“How long should this trip take?” Ann asked. It wasn’t a light rail or anything, but she wasn’t quite sure how a magically operating train would work.

“The trip here took us five hours,” Bren advised. “A portion of that will be attaching and detaching the freight from the rear. Another reason this car is positioned at the fore. It can get a bit rough during coupling. Were this the normal car, many of the nobility do not enjoy being jostled.

Ann looked outside the window, listening to Bren detail the ins and outs of the organization of the train. Outside, a crowd had gathered, cheering and waving at them. The windows weren’t thick enough to eliminate that much noise, so there had to be some kind of enchantment doing the work. Not thinking, she waved back, and got a few confused looks for her troubles. Blushing with embarrassment, she turned back to her friends.

“And now for the part my parents worked on,” Bren announced, gesturing towards the front.

They joined him in looking forward. As the train’s whistle sounded, a rush of steam blasted into the tracks, obscuring the car from the crowd outside. A rumbling echoed through the car, something the enchantments failed to dampen, and the large cylinder Ann had seen began to rotate. Slowly, it picked up speed until it was a whirling force.

“That,” Bren pointed, “is their work. They pioneered the method with which to generate such intense rotational force, house it safely, and transfer said force into moving the train. The details are complex, however it involved finding ways to maximise steam pressure with minimal energy requirements. Water and fire enchantments are spread throughout the cylinder, venting steam and creating constantly increasing steam pressure. I do not exactly know the mechanism they devised to control the speeds, but it likely has to do with regulating the output of the enchantments. Gods, I wish I could have them here to explain it in full detail.”

Ann watched him as he explained. She hadn’t seen the man as animated outside their discussions of her past. It made her want to meet his parents even more, if this is the passion they inspired in their son.

“It’ll be a half hour before we get proper underway,” Kat explained. “First we pull out, heh, further tae where the cargo train’ll be attached. From there, we reverse, pick it up, an’ get movin’.”

“So we’ve got a five hour ride, and nothing to do?” Ann asked, stretching her long limbs. “Gods, didn’t even bring a book. Woulda picked something up on Warped or Orenous if I’d known we’d be heading out so quick.”

“I know. Ugh. Hey, what’s yer name?” Kat asked the bartender.

“Natasha, highness,” the woman bowed.

“Nope, not doin’ that, Nat,” Kat grumbled. “We’re callin me Kat for this trip, got it?” The woman bowed. “Whatcha got back there?”

“Well, I have the usual assortment of spirits, wines, and fine ales. The kitchen car is also at your full disposal, should you wish to dine,” Nat explained.

“No, no, I know all tha’, though a good breakfast would be nice. Ye got cards back there? Some dice? C’mon, I’m not gonna say shite. Bein’ on an empty train fer some o’ these trips, ye gotta ‘ave somethin’ tae pass the time.”

Natasha looked incredibly uncomfortable before she sighed, shoulders slumping. “Yes, your hi— Kat. I have cards, and a guest from a couple trips past left me a set of dice.”

“Good, once ye get the order in tae the kitchen, come join us,” Kat said, patting the seat next to her. “No reason tae keep ye bored while we’re passin’ time.”

Bowing, the woman left the car through the sliding door at the back.

While she was gone, Ann busied herself looking out on the landscape outside. They were moving further into the countryside, and further ahead, she spotted another walled location. The track turned as they approached, and she could see another set of tracks set up to join with the ones they were on. As they neared, another set of cars carrying lumber, stone, and other canvas covered materials were pushed along the other set of tracks. Once they passed, the train slowed to a stop. They couldn’t feel it from here, but Ann guessed that the other train had joined their loads.

“Pretty simple process, huh?” she said to herself.

Bren looked like he was about to launch into another long-winded explanation, but realised she wasn’t asking him, and just nodded.

“Honestly, feels a bit weird to be leaving the Keep,” Ann continued looking out across the landscape. “It’s only been a bit over a month and I just, I dunno. It felt comfortable.”

“Despite barely spending a few days there?” Bren asked, incredulously.

“Hey, it’s the only place I know anymore,” Ann retorted. “Not to mention it’s where Kat and I got official, and you, Rosalyn. Just, yeah. Think this place is gonna be somewhere I’d like to come back to.”

“Aye. Can bug Polaris when we do, too,” Kat laughed. “Maybe we can catch ‘er when she’s off duty one o’ these days. Ye’re Champion o’ Orenous, did ye know she’s been tryin’ tae find a husband fer a while?”

Ann sat up, sensing gossip. “No, I did not. Do tell?”

“Aye, been years now. She’s always been an independent one, but ‘as this soft spot that’s just achin’ fer romance. Someone tae treat ‘er like a woman. By the way, ye tell anyone else about this, an’ she hears it was ye, I’m not gettin’ in ‘er way.”

“Oh, how sweet!” Rosalyn chirped. “I hope I get to meet her someday. She sounds like a lovely person.”

“Lovely isn’t how I’d describe her,” Ann chuckled, “but she’s pretty all right. Oh, hey Nat!” she waved as the bartender returned.

“My lady,” the woman greeted them. She was pushing a cart with several covered platters. Placing them on the table, she unveiled an assortment of sausages, breads, pastries, and eggs. “Is this to your satisfaction, Kat?”

“More than,” Kat grinned wolfishly, grabbing a sausage and taking a bite. “C’mon, join us. More the merrier. And don’t tell me you forgot the cards.”