Chapter Text
It was known in all the kingdom that Princess Vastra was strong and valiant, that she wasn't afraid of anything and that her indomitable courage would have been able to face the enemy troops if needed. Of the reigning family was said that they were all experienced warriors, wise rulers and versed in dance and music with all the grace that only an ancient and noble family could have. There wasn't a more prosperous and proud kingdom than theirs and the neighbouring kingdoms took example from their virtues and sought their advice on how to best administer their own kingdoms.
The royals had four children. The heir to the throne, the eldest of their daughters, was cheerful and had a sunny disposition, it was said throughout the kingdom that there wasn't a smile as beautiful and bright as hers. Then there was their only son, a very nice guy, his scales a bright emerald green, the most appreciated hue by all Silurians. Among them he was the one who did not much like military discipline and loved to spend whole days studying, listening to music or immersed in interesting discussions with distinguished writers and poets.
Then came, a little younger, another girl: she was said to love the company of humans who ruled together with her people. Many Silurians considered themselves above other beings but for her it was a silly thing to think so, and at times she would spend hours listening to wise old man telling human and Silurian stories. Other times she would spend her days in her private greenhouse, listening to the sounds of nature and looking after her beloved roses. She was wise far beyond her age and that's why her people respected her.
Finally came the youngest of the sisters: Vastra. She wasn't particularly loved by her people, rather respected and feared. She wouldn't even take part in political discussions, she simply looked on grimly on whoever dared to say a few amenities. She was proud and very beautiful, but underneath it all she looked very sad. She was the only one of her siblings to have continued her military education even after having reached adulthood. She became the chief of the royal guard and because of her strict upbringing she seemed colder and ever more aloof among the four siblings.
Vastra had been forced to go back home after having spent all her life inside the academy. She had badly broken a limb during a drill and having been forced to return home she was ever more gruff and grumpy than usual.
The sword was her life and, being forced to spend weeks away from it, she felt her life had no meaning or purpose. The doctors had been very hard on her and told her if she really wanted to get back into shape she would have had to spend a whole spring and summer away from the armoury.
She locked herself up for hours in her room, reading or just staring at the ceiling from her bed. She wasn't used to being idle so many hours and it made her nervous and standoffish with anyone. Even her beloved sisters felt it was best to stay away from Vastra, in those conditions.
That morning her mother, the queen, had tried to reason with her, but she had been in a bad mood despite the nurturing and comforting nature her mother knew how to use especially with her offspring.
«You should at least try to find an occupation. Why don't you try caring for someone in need like your sister? Or devoting yourself to music and painting like your brother? Find yourself beyond the point of a sword.» She told her wisely, causing in her younger daughter a feeling of annoyance. Why couldn't mothers ever mind their own business? How could she know what was best for her daughter? How could she know how she truly felt? She had her own kingdom to manage, her hospice for the sick and her afternoons spent playing chess with the local nobility. She was not like her mother or her sisters at all, compassionate and full of grace. No, she was a warrior, loyal and stubborn, and try as she might she had not found, during her stay at home, something that was worth staying for.
She decided to take a stroll in the royal park; if by that night she had not found that something, she was decided to go back to the academy. Swordswoman or not, she could contribute to the theoretical teaching of military tactics, or at least she could return to her cadets. A commander had a duty to remain in her post until the end, even when she was injured. What kind of example was she giving to her subjects?
Her steps were wide and fast, she could not even relax with a walk and her legs instinctively took her to the only place that was worth visiting at the palace: the old armoury.
She strained to listen; a muffled sound came from within the building that had been abandoned for decades. Who was still using that old weapons warehouse?
She looked in the door without making a noise. If there had been a thief or some thug, she wanted to have the surprise effect at her disposal, but what she saw was neither a thief nor a criminal. A human girl was standing in front of a mannequin, holding a worn out old wooden sword used for cadet's training. She groaned with every blow to the inanimate figure while her whole body was struck by the recoil.
Vastra stood there, observing her for a few minutes. She wasn't entirely bad. The posture was not perfect but it could easily be improved upon. The Silurian relaxed and leaned against the door frame while studying the movements of the little girl who had not noticed her presence in the slightest.
The straw under the young girl's feet almost made her slip, but she did not let herself be caught off guard and with a small leap was back on her feet. Vastra was fascinated and could not resist.
«Who are you?» she asked quite loudly so the figure would turn around, surprised at her.
«What are you doing in the king's armoury?» asked the Silurian advancing a few steps towards the young woman who had lowered her rudimentary weapon to worship her with a large bow.
«Your Highness. I'm sorry I thought it was abandoned here.» apologized the girl who didn't have the courage to look at her interlocutor in the face.
«Get up girl, and tell me who you are.» ordered Vastra, curious.
«My name is Jenny, ma'am, Jenny Flint. I'm just a humble maid, I'm not here to steal anything from His majesty.» Explained the young girl humbly keeping to her bow.
«A maid? And where, pray tell?» Vastra asked, curious to know where this young girl had come from.
«In the royal palace, Princess.» Jenny explained. The servants were invisible to the eyes of the royal family, it was no surprise that she had never bee seen wandering through the halls of the palace.
«And why does a maid train with a sword?» Curiosity had gotten the better of Vastra who usually would not have bothered to ask so many questions to someone she did not even know, but perhaps she could stand to hear the suggestion of her mother, for once. The girl was silent, in obvious difficulty.
«Go on then, answer me. Or have you lost your tongue?» The Silurian wasn't used to disobedience. Her students had been trained to answer when she asked a question.
«It was just my down time. I've come here every day since I was told that I could freely enjoy this place.» Explained the girl while her cheeks were coloured pink.
«Who told you that you could use this place?» she asked a bit too abruptly, so much that Jenny found herself taking a step backwards.
«I... I do not know if I can say ma'am. I can not put someone in trouble because of me.» She said, raising her face and addressing her interlocutor with a serious look.
«You're resolute and courageous, Jenny Flint. You're choosing not to answer to someone of the royal family. Or maybe you're just stupid» Vastra sniffed the air cutting it with her forked tongue, she approached the girl to study her and Jenny did not move from her place. She would not be a coward, she wanted to make it clear to the princess that she was not a fool.
«How does a maid know how to handle a sword, and more importantly, how can you have a uniform of the academy?» she asked, turning around to look at her figure.
«I attended the academy, a long time ago.» began to explain Jenny.
«And then?» asked a curious Vastra. Was it possible that she had not seen the girl walk through the corridors of the academy at least once?
«My father fell into disgrace. He had gotten too much in debt, and because of his gambling he was never able to repay them. So I had to stop attending the academy and get a job.» She explained, and for as painful as that memory was she kept the tears at bay and prevented them from running down her face in anger and frustration.
«You can train all you want here.» considered Vastra after hearing the young girl's story. It wasn't fair she couldn't pursue her dreams because of a father who had no respect for his family.
A smile appeared on Jenny's face lighting it up and if the girl could have, she would have jumped into the arms of Vastra for all her happiness.
«Thank you, ma'am. I promise you won't even notice my presence.» swore the girl.
«In all truth, I was thinking that you could help me. In recent weeks I have been out of practice, as you probably know of my accident. And I think that could coach you to keep me in shape.» Vastra made the proposition feigning indifference but inwardly elated to have found a company that shared her love for weapons and who was like her unable to occupy the role that most suited her.
«It would be an honour for me to have you as a teacher again, ma'am.» Jenny took another large bow hiding her eyes suddenly glazed with happiness. «Now I have to go, Your Highness, I have to go back to work soon and I will not be on time if you do not grant me leave.» Explained the girl suddenly aware of the time that had passed.
«Well, then I'll see you tomorrow, here. I will bring my weapon.» Vastra informed her as she gathered her things and left the crumbling building.
They walked down the road together, in silence, to the palace. The Silurian was lost in her thoughts, she had finally found an occupation. Maybe she could give staying at the palace one last chance. Who knew if the human would have been able to take her training, maybe she could coach her for a while or maybe she would crumble after one session and she would find herself once again without something to pass the time. She thought of the drill she would putt her through to test her abilities. She could not wait for it to be the next day.
Meanwhile, Jenny was awed by her mistress. She really could not believe what had just happened. She walked behind Vastra like any good maid learned to do, and when they reached the door of the building she greeted the princess with a bow and then holed herself up in the servants quarters, jumping with joy and laughing loudly, making everyone wonder what was going on.
During dinner, Vastra was more than happy to tell her mother about the meeting that had taken place that afternoon.
«She's a waitress mother, here, of the palace. Her name is Jenny Flint. I had never seen her before, but she attended the academy before working in the building. I've decided to train her. Poor little thing, it is not fair that she had to give up her dreams so young. Don't you believe so, mother?» She asked, unable to restrain her enthusiasm.
«I'm glad you found something to do. Be careful not to be cause of her disappointment yourself now, daughter.» admonished the queen.
«Why should I?» Vastra asked angrily and then bite into a slice of meat.
«Your enthusiasm is overwhelming, but you just as easily get tired of something, and this girl has feelings. You have to be very careful not to make promises that you cannot keep.» the Queen was happy to hear that Vastra had finally found a reason to stay, but she really was not sure that her daughter would be content to teach a simple maid when at a few miles distance she could train any valid cadet who wished for it.
They finished their meal in perfect silence, with just the servants' steps to break the dull clink of cutlery on china.
When Vastra retired for the night, in her room, she began to think about when she would see Jenny Flint the next day. She rummaged in her closet in search of her old cadet sword. The same wooden sword she had seen in the girl's hands that afternoon. She rummaged through the drawers, through many oddly shaped boxes, but the sword seemed to have disappeared. She walked back and forth trying to remember. She looked for it in her private library, but came up empty. Then a lightening bolt shot through her mind.
She removed with care two of the floor's tiles. Underneath them, concealed by a once pure white piece of cloth, her old sword. She picked it up reverently, almost like a holy relic. She moved the fabric with trembling hands, and behold, there was the handle being revealed by the graceful sliding of the fabric. Vastra looked at the wood carefully and ran a finger over the initials engraved long ago, when she was still just a girl and love had seemed to be the only important thing in life. How stupid had she been then. She growled in frustration, she did not want to feel like that again. She wouldn't allow anyone else to delude her into thinking she would care for her. She put the tiles back and rewound the silk cloth over her sword and then went to sleep. Tomorrow would be a great day.
When she awoke the next morning, she was already in full force. In her heart she hoped to catch a glimpse of Jenny among the household servants but it didn't look like she had been assigned to her, so she hid her disappointment behind her usual wry look.
She had breakfast every morning as always, with the calm that had been taught her since birth. She carried out her duties with her usual aplomb, as if nothing had touched her, but her heart was beating a little 'stronger than usual. She read a book until lunch, which took place as every other blessed lunch in the palace: silent and cool with just a few smiles from his siblings or her parents. It was all so sterile sometimes that Vastra almost wanted to scream. After lunch she began to read, but her impatience was too much and at every line she checked the time to be sure not to be late. She decided to drop the pretence of reading, she was too shaken: what if the girl was horrible at swordplay? She would be disappointed. And if she was not up to it? If her wrist started to ache? Would she have to abandon Jenny? Would she break her heart as someone else had done to hers a long time before?
She was lost in her thoughts and was almost in danger of being late. She smoothed down the uniform she wore every moment of the day, and walked in the park.
She ended up almost running, unable to be contained in her own skin it seemed, but when she opened the door Jenny was not there.
She waited patiently, after all the girl was working and she could have been withheld. Minutes passed without even Jenny's shadow. Vastra began to grow impatient. It was unheard of for her to having been forced to wait this long for a maid. It was unacceptable.
She waited twenty minutes more and Jenny never showed up.
Furious, she headed back toward the palace, treading hard on the pavement. She had been a fool to believe she could stay at the palace. She would be gone the next day.