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"Must you be so insufferable?"
Monica let out a long sigh. She did not think she was being insufferable; she just wanted Helena to treat this party with the seriousness it deserved.
Monica waved the champagne-colored bow in front of Helena's face. I just think your hair would be more beautiful with this bow in it. It would complement your black locks so well. Honestly I'm jealous. I'd love to wear one in my hair, but it doesn't go well with my short cut." Monica brushed her fingers through own hair. "Are you not excited about your first party looking so pretty?"
"I have never been one for parties," Helena said with an eyeroll. "Except for skulking around them, looking for threats to Her Majesty."
"Well, if we are going to be representing Her Majesty at the party, I want you to be beautiful!" Monica huffed. "And I want my date to be cute too."
"I think Her Majesty can represent herself. But point well-taken, I suppose. Put it in my hair," Helena said with resignation in her voice.
Monica laughed. "Wait, really? You are giving up so easily?"
Helena let out a long chuckle. "Did you want to go around in circles about it for a while longer, Monica?"
Perhaps she would have enjoyed an argument another time, but they were in a hurry. "No, no, I'll put it in right now."
Helena von Vestra had never wanted to stand out at a party. She had always been content to wear her baggy clothes, move quietly in the shadows, and be there with a knife if Lady Edelgard ever need such a thing.
But now, here she was, dressed in high heels, a flowing black and gold dress, and of course the champagne-colored bow. Her body had changed since she'd started taking Dorothea's magical cocktail, even more than she had expected. The curves around her chest and especially her midsection were certainly not unwanted; she felt like she had truly unlocked a new and better version of herself.
She walked in, hand-in-hand with her girlfriend Monica, who stood two heads shorter than her. The fiery red-haired woman had initially driven Helena up the wall,but as time went on, she had begun to respect Monica. After all, they both wanted the same thing — to see Her Majesty's grand ambition come to fruition.
She felt every set of eyes on them as they walked in together. Monica, clad in red and pink, and Helena, the Emperor's unbreakable retainers. She felt her eyes, as if running on pure instinct, darting around the room, looking for any threats. It was no longer her primary job — she had her agents working on the case, who had insisted that she 'enjoy the party' instead of rooting out the enemies of her Emperor.
At first she had resisted that idea, but Monica and Lady Edelgard had changed her mind.
Speaking of the Emperor, the woman, clad in red and gold, strode up to them. "Helena, Monica! It's so nice to see you here." The smile that lit up Lady Edelgard's face was genuine, unlike so many of her smiles that she gave to the various nobles she had to deal with, including presumably ones at this party. Seeing Lady Edelgard's smile filled her heart with joy that she could not put into words. She wondered if Monica felt the same.
She didn't give a damn what the nobles thought about her, and she wanted to bring them all down in Lady Edelgard's name. Even still, their presence sickened Helena. She dreamt of the day that Lady Edelgard would not even have to entertain the illusion of caring about the nobility in any aspect. Helena did not consider her work done until the entire system was broken and replaced with… whatever Her Majesty desired.
She responded by taking a deep bow to the Emperor, kissing her hand. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"I convinced her to dress extra cute for the occasion," Monica added, playfully tugging on Helena's shoulder as Monica pulled Helena down for a kiss.
"There is no need to embarrass me, Monica," Helena responded, a flash of annoyance in her voice. It cleared quickly. "I will do whatever Her Majesty requires."
"Which at this party is being cute!" Monica huffed in return.
Helena shrugged. "Fine, fine."
With the smile still plastered on her face, Lady Edelgard reached out her hand and squeezed both Helena and Monica's. "I do not require either of you to be 'cute'. but it is a nice bonus. Helena, I'm so happy to see you happy. You look… dazzling!" Helena’s heart swelled, getting a compliment from her liege.
"I knew Lady Edelgard would love your new look! Now, let’s go dance the night away, my dear,” Monica said, locking her arms with Helena.
Helena supposed she could do that.
Edelgard was a little intoxicated by the end of the night. She had tried not to drink too much, but the reverie had gotten to her.
Helena, who was typically reserved at parties, had let loose after a couple of glasses of wine. Edelgard patted herself on the back for the decision to let Helena and Monica shed their obligations for a night to just have fun. After all, the members of the Imperial Household had been trained by Helena, and if there was any mischief, they could deal with it.
As she sat on the chair next to her vanity, taking off the makeup she had been wearing at the party, she thought about how happy she was for both of them. Monica, for finding someone who was as devoted to Edelgard as she was. And to Helena, for her to blossom after years of hiding in the shadows…
Hee hee. Maybe one day Edelgard could get Helena to ride a pegasus, just like she had always wanted. Edelgard had always found it… interesting that her retainer's notebooks and doodles were always of pegasi and not of the things she associated with Helena — she would have expected blood and various other macabre subjects, but not the beautiful pegasi. Helena had hid that side of herself more and more as she had turned herself into 'Lady Edelgard's tool', but Edelgard had known it was still there, buried beneath the baggy pants and the dark sense of humor.
It was why Helena's choice to become a woman had not surprised her.
Seeing her friend cut free of the chains that had bound her was an even prouder moment than the day they had defeated the Church of Seiros. A spark she had believed to have vanished from Helena, who had seen herself as a tool for many years, had returned.
And Edelgard thought that was beautiful.