Three Strikes [✓]

Non Nobis Solum

Chapter Fifty-Two: Non Nobis Solum

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Tyler Island, Spring Sea.
October 15th, 2019.
0745hrs.

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Naomi found the Princess sitting on the ground, a good distance from the hangars and Strider Squadron's aircraft. She was watching the LRSSG and the refugees as the two groups took the time to care for one another, a few of the Erusean soldiers offering assistance while the pilots helped divvy up more supplies. They all seemed almost happy, the children having regained enough confidence to take to playing games of tag and hide-and-seek between pestering every pilot they could to tell them more about the aircraft.

The Princess seemed to be keeping her distance from them, along with the man that Naomi learned was her bodyguard and a golden retriever that Naomi assumed was her pet. She looked better than she did a few nights before, judging from the fact the elaborate updo her hair had been in had been replaced by a simple ponytail, but she still wore the same tattered and stained dress. The man that had been covered in blood looked better as well. Still pale and exhausted, but he'd been given a change of clothes by someone. He looked casual now, making the Princess the only one that stuck out.

For a few seconds, Naomi kept her distance, hesitating and realizing she was unsure what to say. She'd had time to think and calm down, so now she had to mend the bridge she almost burned. Or maybe completely burned. Looking at it now, a better analogy would be standing on a burning bridge and trusting the Princess enough to accept her help. Or something like that, she wasn't really the greatest at clever comparisons. That's the best she could get from what everyone was telling her at least.

Before she could take the chance to turn and run and further avoid the problem, the Princess' dog took notice of her and the bodyguard did as well. While the dog simply watched her cautiously, the man tensed and moved to put himself between Naomi and the Princess. Both he and Naomi were about to say something, but that was when the Princess noticed what her companions were reacting to. She looked over her shoulder, not making eye contact as soon as she realized who was there. Instead she looked to her bodyguard. "Henri, relax. It's fine."

The man - Henri - backed down when he noticed the look the Princess gave him, stepping back and crossing his arms but giving Naomi a suspicious look. Not sure what else to do, Naomi gave an awkward, grateful smile as the Princess turned away. Her dog lost interest as well, simply watching as Naomi slowly began to approach before he rested his head on the Princess' lap. It wasn't like she could blame them for their reactions to her.

Naomi moved to stand beside the Princess, opposite of where Henri stood. She wasn't sure where to start, so she just stood there for a few minutes. By now she had no choice but to swallow her pride and get it over with, offering a curt greeting. "Your Highness."

"Major." The Princess didn't look up at her. Silence, again, until the Princess went on. She sounded like she was barely keeping herself together. "Is there something I can help you with or do you just intend to stand there?"

"You wanted to talk to me," Naomi said, taking a deep breath. She'd been in her fair share of arguments, but she couldn't think of one that topped this one. It wasn't something she could just slap a band-aid on and call it a day. And at this point, she was lucky if the Princess didn't just storm off. "So let's talk."

"What would you like to talk about?" The Princess asked her, drawing in a shaky breath of her own.

"We want the same thing, right? That's what you said," Naomi said, keeping her eyes on the horizon. She was vaguely aware of Henri watching them closely, but if he had any opinions on this he kept it to himself. She doubted he was even listening to them, which would have been preferable. Enough people stuck their noses into this fight and it should have been between the two of them. It was a problem between Naomi and the Princess, mutual or not. "So how about a plan, then?"