Queen's Call Chapter Five
Title: A Queen’s Call
Author: Alex Foster
Characters/Pairing: Claire/Elle
Category: FantasyAU, Adventure, Romance
Rating: R for violence and sexual situations
Summary: Apprentice Claire Bennet wants nothing more than to finish her studies of enhanced humans and gain a position within the Company. But after meeting Elle Bishop, a mysterious traveler with an agenda of her own, Claire is drawn into a conspiracy hundreds of years old that leads her to question everything she’s ever been told about abilities and the kings and wizards of old.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by NBC. No money is being made and no infringement is intended.
Chapter Five
Claire woke to sunlight peeking past curtains. She opened her eyes and stretched happily. The sheets around her were starched and unfamiliar but she was warm and her entire body relaxed. "I could get used to this," she said, staring at the ceiling.
"I think this was your best tour of the festival yet, Pom Pom." Elle walked into the bedroom from the adjacent toilet. Her hair was wet and dripped down the back of her dark tunic.
Claire raised herself up on her elbows. "Maybe tonight we'll actually make it to the festival."
"Why? We can enact our own consummation pact here." Elle sat on the edge of the bed and leaned down to kiss her.
The scent of soap and fruity shampoo filled Claire's nose as she pulled herself up fully, placed her hand on Elle's neck, and deepened the kiss. That same tickling of power from the previous night was there again, passing into her everywhere their skin touched.
Elle growled low in her throat and pressed her hand against Claire's sheet covered hip. Reluctantly, Claire broke the kiss. "Actually I can't stay."
"You're a tease." Elle nipped at her bottom lip.
Claire closed her eyes, savored it for a moment, and then leaned back. "It's a family thing; I can't avoid it."
"Okay." Elle studied her with a queer look, like she was processing something extremely important. Claire liked that. It had been a long time since some one looked at her so intensely. "Can I see you again tonight?"
"Absolutely."
"Good." Elle smoothed Claire's tussled hair. "The festival will be over before long and I want you to know everything about me before the crowning."
...
...
It was several minutes past the bell when Claire hurried into the dining room. She didn't have time to return to her dorm for a change of clothes so she again wore her student dress. In hindsight she was glad she hadn't dressed for the festival the night before because student attire was at least formal enough for this.
Every fourteen day Angela Petrelli hosted a breakfast for a select collection of guests. Mostly family but occasionally a council member would warrant an invitation as well. She proposed it as a place for lawmakers and the city's elite to come and take a break from policy and tradition.
In truth Claire knew it was a backroom to the capital building where she secured deals without the nosiness of council minders and lessor members.
Thankfully she saw that the dining room was nearly full and no one noticed her slipping in late. Servants were still milling around the impressively long table placing settings and not all the guests had taken their seats yet. Claire breathed a sigh of relief at that.
She passed several city officials and one woman she recognized as a high solicitor. Despite Nathan and Angela's insistence society was in her blood, Claire didn't feel completely at ease here. The Petrelli family was the hub in the wheel of the city and united council but she was just a history apprentice. Even if she gained entry into the Company attending meals like this one, with powerbrokers and dealmakers, was not what she planned.
Claire saw several men near the front of the table in dark hunter clothing. Her father was among them but she didn't recognize the others. She wondered what sort of business hunters could have that Angela would meet with them here.
For a moment she hoped Claude was with them but her mentor wasn't the type of guest welcome at this table. She knew he and her father were partners once but Claude left the field to teach while Noah ascended the ranks. It was a guess based on hazy memories from her childhood but she suspected Angela and Claude, while still friendly in public, did not see eye to eye on very many things in private.
Claire started for her father and then thought better of it and moved down the length of the table. She did a quick scan and took a seat several places down from the head. She was far enough away to avoid uncomfortable conversations with her grandmother and father about her thesis and her lack of progress on it.
Her chair was close enough to the front so not to appear she was avoiding them and still close to her uncle.
Peter Petrelli sat looking every inch the prince in a fitted coat and rich blues of the healer guild. He wore a pin affixed to his collar in the shape of the god of medicine, the symbol of his office at the school.
Claire felt her already good mood improve when he caught sight of her and smiled. She loved her adopted parents and her blood father but reserved a special place for Peter. Even before she knew the truth of Nathan, when the Petrelli family was just the people her father worked for, Peter always treated her kindly and made her feel safe.
When her ability began to manifest, he was the one she went to over everyone else in the family. He supported her decision to pursue History studies when others wondered at her sudden passion for it.
Claire gave him a small wave as she sat and noticed the man to Peter's right. What was it Daphne had called him? Dark Hair Dark Cloak. It was fitting in all but the cloak that she assumed hung in closet somewhere.
Peter's new interest sat in the high backed chair like it was a throne. In complete control with an aura of power about him that Claire could feel from across the table. He was handsome, no denying that, and looked like he belonged there in such an elaborate setting with people serving him. A hawklike gaze seemed to take in the whole room at once and when it settled on Claire she felt something flip in her belly.
She thought about the tales of kings and looking at him, feeling power radiating in an aura around him, it wasn't hard to place Peter's new pet in those stories.
King Gabriel Gray.
He caught her stare and raised his glass in greeting. She nodded in return and forced her attention away. There was something definitely interesting about him, beyond Daphne's interest in the local gossip. Claire made a mental note to seek him out during the crowning day celebration.
Breakfast was ponderous and filled with an overwhelming number of festival dishes. Claire ate a little and picked at the rest. There was polite conversation from the people around her, but she was thankfully far enough way from the political goings on at the head of the hall.
News passed down the ranks like a child's game of stop and go however and she learned that the chancellor was coming for the end of the festival. That wasn't really a surprise to her-Arthur kept his visits to the school to a few times a year but always played them up for appearance sake. The school was decidedly Company, and Angela's, territory.
After a round of su'lapurs that weren't nearly as good as the ones made by street vendors, the breakfast meeting broke apart with loose groups of people lingering by the doors. Avoiding a politician snare, Claire aimed instead for the double glass doors leading to a balcony overlooking the western gardens.
Stepping out of the hall, she saw that someone else had the same idea. "I'm sorry. I thought this was empty."
Gabriel waved her out. "There is plenty of room. I was getting some air."
Claire closed the doors behind her and joined him on the edge of the balcony. Beneath them the garden was carefully trimmed and decorated with holly. "The air is nice," she said, "but I'm hiding."
He didn't smile but his eyes did twinkle. "If I'm honest, I'm hiding too."
"I am an expert and finding the best way out of any room in this house. My father used to bring me here all the time on Company business-let's just say politics are not an interest of mine."
Gabriel leaned dangerously far over the railing and peered down. "It's a long way to the ground."
Claire joined him. "I could survive it. But it won't come to that. Once the lessor people leave the real power brokers will retire to my grandmother's office, my father will join them, and his hunters will guard it. Clear route to freedom."
"You've put thought into this."
Claire chuckled. "I have my reasons. What about you? You are the latest news in the city's gossip circle-you should be in there savoring it."
He leaned in as though telling a secret. "I think I'm being saved for the debut tomorrow night. I'm impressed I was let out of my cage for this."
Claire studied him, looking for the signs of an ability in him. "Don't let all the Petrelli pageantry get to you. My advice is slip away as soon as you can and enjoy the crowning out in the street."
"Do you have an escape route for that too?"
"I do, actually." She smiled to herself. "Don't bother with the front entrance, too many merrymakers there to spot you leave and spread scandal. Instead slip into the kitchen and from there take the servant passages to the rear entrance."
"I certainly wouldn't want to cause scandal among the city's elite," he said dryly.
"I have a friend that speaks of our strange city ways like that. She's from out east, too, and just in for the festival."
A shadow passed over his features, so fast if she wasn't looking it would have gone unnoticed. "Is she now? Perhaps we knew each other out there?"
Claire straightened and glanced back into the dining hall. "I don't think so. Big country and all. I think the coast is clear now."
His gaze shifted to the room and then back to her. "Are you sure? Never know when you might overlook someone."
Claire took a step back. "I'm going to chance it. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Gray."
"The same…Claire."
...
...
The meet place was an open air cafe deep in the north end of the city, far from the eyes of the Company. Elle's partner had picked it out himself. Keeping with their set routine she found a table in the back and calmly watched the morning foot and carriage traffic.
Her partner sat at the table beside hers. "Lovely weather today," he said.
"It is. Much better than this time last year."
The all clear given, he turned to face her. "Any problems with Claire Bennet?"
"None." Elle didn't mention that they had spent the night together. "She trusts me completely."
"Excellent. Have you told her why you are here?"
"Not in so many words," Elle admitted. "I've planted the seeds though. What we are asking is huge for someone like her. I'm nudging in the right direction."
Her partner shook his head. "That won't be good enough, Elle. I've been trying that for months now without results-that is why I wanted you. Thanks to Peter Petrelli we no longer have the time to waste. You need to convince Claire to join us and soon."
Elle knew Claire was closer to accepting the truth than he thought, she saw it in her eyes when she spoke of the wizards last night, but said, "I understand. It will be done."
"Good. We are all depending on you." Her partner glanced around, made sure no one was watching, and vanished from the chair he was sitting in. Elle didn't blink at that. By now she was used to the type of exit Claude Rains made.
...
...
When Claire returned to her dorm room she found a neatly wrapped bundle waiting for her. Perched on top was a folded note and Claire smiled when she read the now familiar scrawl:
Came to the school in person this time but you were still gone. Should have used the kid again.
Yours,
E
She carefully set the card aside and opened the bundle. Inside she found a leather bound journal. The pages were blank, clean, and crisp underneath her fingers. By itself it was a wonderful gift but there was a second book. Obviously used and well read. The soft cover practically opened by itself at her touch showing pages marked and binding worn over favorite chapters.
Its title was Secret Orders of the Monarchy.