Liberty and Domination: Fledgling Coercion

The Peasant Queen

This time around Andre had gone off to do his own thing, leaving Jacque to fight the war on boredom alone as he flops onto the couch, wondering what he wants to do next. Before he can begin to doze off though a destroyer clad in white approaches him.

"Hm? What is it Le Malin? It's rare for you to see me like this." Jacque asks.

"It's Jean Bart. She requests your presence." Le Malin replies.

"Requesting my presence? That's new." Jacque says. "Is she in her room?"

"Yes." Le Malin replies as Jacque gets up, expecting Le Malin to lead him there, but instead she looks about ready to just pass out on the floor.

"Aren't you supposed to lead me there?" Jacque chuckles.

"Too tired to do that." Le Malin says as she leans on him.

"I guess I'll carry you then." Jacque chuckles as he picks up Le Malin in a princess carry. "I know where her room is." And with that he makes his way to Jean Bart's room, carrying the destroyer the whole way, and when he gets to her door he gently sets her back on her feet before knocking.

"Door's unlocked." A gruff voice calls out as Jacque slowly opens the door and peeks his upper body through. The room is black with traces of yellow and white here and there and it's designed with pragmatism in mind. Laying on the bed in all her glory was a blonde battleship with blood red eyes that stare into Jacque's hazelnut brown ones. Her hair has been kept in the usual ponytail and she looks at Jacque with a scowl that fades into a more neutral expression upon seeing Le Malin leaning on him. "I see you carried her the whole way."

"Honestly it was to be expected." Jacque says as he walks in and makes sure Le Malin makes her way back to her room before closing the door. "So, what have you called me here for? Need to vent about Richelieu? Need to someone to rant to about life? Got plans for world domination in your head and you need to explain them?" It seems to pay off as the Vichy battleship chuckles for a few seconds.

"It's none of the above actually." Jean Bart replies. "I just wanted to have some friendly conversation, that's all." Jacque was struck dumb- Jean Bart, the girl that nearly ended his life, the girl that was seen as an ally to the Crimson Axis, the girl that almost never smiled, here just to talk? Any other thoughts are quashed as she pats a spot on the bed and he gladly obliges. Sitting on the side table was a bottle of absinthe and two glasses, and Jean Bart seems to read Jacque's mind as she pours him a glass before getting one herself.

"So what do you want to talk about?" Jacque asks. "I've been bored out of my mind."

What got you to enlist in the navy?" Jean Bart asks. "Almost everyone has a bit of a story regarding why they joined."

"Many of my friends were fighting out in the seas and I thought to join them. Then my past just kinda took over." Jacque replies.

"Your past?" Jean Bart asks.

"I had a pretty shitty past, although it's probably nothing compared to what you've gone through." Jacque replies. "Perhaps when the time is right, I'll tell you." And with that he takes a sip.

"All right..." Jean Bart says as she takes a sip herself. "Did that have anything to do with why you kept switching between us and the Iris Libre?"

"That had a major part yes." Jacque replies as he finishes his glass.

"Almost seems like you're being shrouded in it honestly." Jean Bart says. "Care for another?"

"Sure why not? I got the whole day honestly." Jacque replies. "Let's try not to get too drunk though."

"Like this whole bottle could get me tipsy." Jean Bart chuckles.