The Old Guard.

All of the knights and knight commanders from the Empire met for the first time in a large training ground created by Roger, Captain Staughler, and his men. Well over a hundred men formed neat rows seven boxes of twenty men each with a single Night commander at the head, some of whom like Daniel Conners had been maimed in combat and no longer effective in the field. Roger walked out on to a raised platform with a speaking horn and called out, "Honorable Knights of the Connaissance Empire your skills as a knight are no longer worth a fresh bag of steaming dog shit." He paused for several minutes and let it sink in before he continued, "However, your skills as knights included hand to hand combat training, tactical training, and command training which is why you are here today. Connaissance no longer needs you in armor on a heavy horse with a lance to charge down men at arms, what we need is for you to lead a team of soldiers to win battled and win wars. You are elite fighters and thinkers, gentlemen, that's why Connaissance needs you even with your outdated skills in warfare, and if any man here thinks he has a place for a knight against this..."

He brought out a five-man team that walked out with Hornets. The men turned and fired on a dummy dressed in the best plate armor available in the former Windsor Kingdom. The dummy was filled with watermelons so that when they fired bits of watermelon and it's juice shot out the back to exaggerate the effectiveness of the kill.

The knights gasped and looked around at each other. Roger spoke again, "I was a Knight of Cambria injured in a war against the City of Connaissance. I never saw the man who attacked me, because he was safe and sound sitting in a comfortable chair on the Zealous, one of our Airships that you may have heard about. Look at me now, I am a cripple, and yet because of my brain, I am still of use to Connaissance and now your general. This is why those of you who have been maimed in service to your country and King, are still standing amongst us. A few of you have lived as beggars for years now, do you want to hold the honor and prestige that you once commanded on the battlefield once again?"

All of the knights stood tall and proud, the knights who had been maimed felt tears on their cheeks as they puffed out their chests with pride. Roger shouted into the speaking horn, "Those of you who refuse to adapt to the reality of the new military, you are excused. You may take your leave as a Hedge Knight and travel to any neighboring country you think will take you into their service, just know that if you take up arms against Connaissance, you'll die without ever knowing how you died."

A few of the older knights started to take steps and then returned to their positions. A small clamor broke out amongst the knights as they asked friends for their thoughts. Roger let the conversation build to a point and then picked up the speaking horn, "Brothers, Honored Knights, thank you for standing here with me, let me explain the training course you'll be undergoing the next four weeks. We are going to teach you modern warfare, your instructor for this will be Sir Reemus Staughler, who as you may know recently led the overland raid into the Grand Empire of Injia. He will share his first-hand experience using new weapons and strategies. Next, we will teach you how to drive the fast attack carriages and explain their capabilities to you. As the horse was to a knight, these fast attack carriages are to our new army."

Roger raised his arm and made a hand signal, a troop of fifty uniformed soldiers with hornets came out, "Finally, we will help you raise and train your own troop. These will be the men you command in battle. Each of you here today is a future captain, major, or general of our Connaissance Armed forces. You will be charged with maintaining our borders from all foes. Even those of you who were cast out from our brotherhood due to serious injury, you will have a great purpose again, I swear it!"

One of the men who had been maimed in a war for some time raised his arm, "Excuse me, Sir Colton, General. My name is Sir Oswald Cottington. I lost my foot in battle seven years ago. I have been living off the alms from the Church of the Risen Son, are you saying that even someone like me, will be trained for this new kind of war? If I can't keep up, will I be sent back to the Church?"

Roger walked down and put his one good hand on the man's shoulder and asked, "Do you want to be a beggar?"

Sir Cottington's face went flush and he had a determined look on his face, "No, never again!"

Roger said, "You won't fall behind my brother, and if you do, I'll train you until you get this, you are a Knight, becoming an officer will feel like no challenge at all to us who have already waded through rivers of blood."

He walked around to all of the knights and stated, "All I ask of you men is that you raise our young men to be soldiers, give them the benefit of your years of experience in warfare. Be leaders and make our Empire the most formidable army in the history of the world. We are Knights! All of us. War may change, but warriors never do."

*****

Victoria walked into Teslaimia's office with a new design, she held it up, "What do you think, Your Majesty?"

Teslaimia walked over and said, "It looks nice, have someone model it for me. I am not entirely sure about it yet, I want to see how it looks over the hip. Oh, Victoria, that reminds me, your husband Reemus, he went to the training in Windsor County didn't he?"

Victoria smiled and nodded, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Teslaimia smiled and said, "Would you like to come out with us tonight? We are doing a ladies night out, I think you'd have a good time."

Victoria smiled and nodded, "I would love to come, yes, please."

Teslaimia said, "We'll be leaving a little early from work here, so you won't need to go home and change."

Grace walked in next as Victoria was leaving and sat down, "Your Majesty, I think there is something wrong with that woman, Gertrude."

Teslaimia stood up and quickly closed the door to her office, "What did you find out?" She sat down behind her desk and looked concerned as she leaned forward.

Grace brought out a folder and handed it to Teslaimia, "For the last month she has only been dating Jon Alexander. They go to dinner, sometimes a play and most times just hold hands while walking through the shopping district together."

Teslaimia blinked and then started looking through the report, "I don't understand, then what's wrong?"

Grace tapped on the report, "It's right there. Can't you see it?"

Teslaimia looked through the report a little closer this time, "She's dating a man, what is wrong?"

Grace said, "This isn't like that woman at all!" Grace brought out a second report, "When we first met she told me about how she was seducing Her Majesty, Emily with these reports..."

Teslaimia's face suddenly looked more intense as she read through the second report, "She was writing these things to Emily, just like that?" Teslaimia looked even more concerned the more she read.

"Are these the reports she gave or just what she said to you?" Teslaimia frowned.

Grace said, "No, she just spoke them, but you know I can remember exactly what anyone says. I wrote it down word for word."

Teslaimia muttered under her breath, "This woman better be serious about Jon because if she is using him to get at me, we're going to war. Gather the team and get Chas in here, I am putting you two on both of them. I want to know everything. I need to know what's going on with Emily and Gertrude as well. Hmm, Grace, you are going to take the new friend angle. Don't push it hard, I just want you two to become the kind of friends that can open up with each other." Chas walked in and Teslaimia turned to her and said, "Chas, you still have Jon's secretary under us, right? I want you to tighten that up. I need to know everything that is going on with his side through her, anything is on the table. Deepen your relationship with her if you must."

Teslaimia stood up and said, "I'm going to the palace early, I'll talk to Emily first. I'm going to invite Emily out with us tonight, if we can get her girls involved as well, we can put the whole story together."

Victoria came in with Jessica who was now wearing the Lingerie looking a little embarrassed because of all the people. Teslaimia switched gears immediately gasping, "Oh! I really like that one the black goes well with her fair complexion too, I wonder, I bet that would look amazing in white as well, for someone with a darker complexion like me. Victoria, send that pattern to Hammer Fabric, I want to order that for all of my stores. Jessica, wear that out tonight under your dress, I want to know how it feels after a few hours."

Jessica blushed, "But it doesn't have panties..."

Teslaimia shook her head, "Not all of them do, that's part of the appeal. Alright, I need to get moving. Is Roland here yet?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. He is waiting in the lobby. He said that lunch will be waiting at the palace."

Teslaimia motioned with her hands, "Alright, you all know what to do, get to work."

*****

Emily was reading Gertrude's latest report with a frown, "Gertrude, I want an honest answer from you. Are you ready to settle down and start a family?"

Gertrude stiffened up, "Your Majesty? What do you mean?"

Emily shook her head, "I asked for your report, and you described your love life to me in great detail, what's missing is anything at all relating to intelligence for the Empire. At least with that erotica, you called a report before, there was information I needed. I don't need to know what food Jon Alexander prefers on Thursday evenings. What is your assignment right now?"

Jamie cleared her throat and said, "Your Majesty, this is my oversite. I asked Roland to have her removed from active duty temporarily while she sorted out her personal life. I just failed to convey that to her myself."

Gertrude looked shocked, "Jamie? You mean, Jon is not an assignment?"

Jamie sighed and said, "I thought perhaps you would be more serious with your own relationship if you were to think of it as an assignment."

Emily rubbed the bridge of her nose, "Gertrude, we all know you have genuine feelings for Jon, that's why I want to know. Are you ready to settle down and be a wife to him?"

Gertrude had a complex set of emotions fly across her face, "But... This is my life! What will I do without this? Am I to just sit around the house getting fat and pregnant raising children?"

Emily shrugged and asked, "How many more years do you think you can play the seductress, Gertrude? Our beauty doesn't last forever. Our window for having this power over men closes quickly and then what? Will you try to find a new life for yourself without your youth?"

Gertrude looked at Emily sadly, "Without this what right will I have to be your friend? I don't want to lose you too, Your Majesty."

Emily shook her head and said, "Gertrude, I am not going to fire you. I am going to change your role here. I want you to be my personal assistant instead of a field operative. Roland is going to be retiring at the end of the month and I need you to be his replacement. You'll take charge over the day to day operations instead."

Gertrude's eyes teared up as sobbed softly, "You mean it? Thank you so much, I promise I won't let you down!"

Jamie smiled and said, "Gertrude, I'm so happy for you. I hope that someday I can meet my special someone too."

A few minutes later Roland and Teslaimia walked in and Mia shot a look over to Gertrude before asking, "I wonder if you ladies are free tonight? I'm taking my staff out for a ladies' night out, and thought it might be nice if you two came along with us. Emily, you'll come too, but in disguise." She giggled.

Emily smiled and said, "I have some news as well, Mia, at the end of the month Roland will be retiring. I have just named his new replacement." She motioned to toward Gertrude and said, "Gertrude is going to be retiring from field service and moving into the position of my personal aide, and will be working closely with you as well Mia."

Teslaimia smiled and said, "Congratulations, Gertrude, I look forward to your service."

Emily smiled and said, "So, tell me about this ladies' night out?"

Teslaimia put a finger to her lips and said, "Shhh, it's a secret." She giggled, and then said, "Gertrude, I wonder, if I could speak to you in private for a moment?"

Gertrude was still all smiles as Teslaimia walked with her into another room and softly closed the door locking it, "You're in love with my Emily, aren't you?"

Gertrude was confused for a moment, "I'm sorry?"

Teslaimia turned around looking more than a little sinister, "You heard me. I said you're in love with my Emily. This is some kind of game you are playing right now. You think I love Jon so much that I'd do something to stop you from hurting him, right? You want me to save him from you and then you'll fall into Emily's arms as Jon and I advanced our relationship. Well, you're wrong about that. I was attracted to Jon, and I do love him as a friend, but Emily is my soulmate. None of your petty little games will ever shake that."

Gertrude looked blank as she stared at Teslaimia, "I'm sorry, I think you misunderstand something about me..."

Teslaimia reached between her breasts and unfolded a note and started to recite it to Gertrude, "She slid her fingers along the inside of my thigh and hooked her fingers in my garter and slowly slid it down my leg, as she pressed closer to me, her jasmine fragrance filled my senses making me swoon." She folded the paper back up and gently brushed it under Gertrude's nose. "Don't lie to me girl, you aren't the only woman who knows the arts of seduction." Teslaimia pushed her breasts against Gertrude's and moved close to her cheek lightly whispering in her ear, "Tell me, then, what am I misunderstanding?"

Gertrude exhaled softly and said, "I really do love Jon. I swear it. I won't lie to you, I am in love with Emily too. I have been since I was a little girl. I think you and I are similar in that you still like men, right? Emily doesn't see as men sexual at all. She only gets excited about women, as do both of us, right? I want to kiss your lips so badly right now, you smell so good..." She sighed and said, "I swear to you, it's no game. I just love Jon. He's so stupid and such a jerk sometimes, but he's also adventurous, can be so sweet and caring. I took the job as a personal assistant so I could be true to Jon. So he wouldn't worry about me being with another man. It's not to be closer to Emily. in fact, I thought that I would have to quit entirely and never be able to see her again, until just a few minutes ago and I was dreading it."

Teslaimia leaned in and gave her a soft kiss on the lips that built up into a deeper kiss. She broke from it and gave Gertrude a squeeze on the butt and said, "Ok, I believe you. If I ever catch you putting one of these," She slid the paper between Gertrude's breasts, "...in her hands again without checking with me first, I'll kill you. Ok?"

Gertrude blushed bright red and nodded.

Teslaimia turned and unlocked the door, "Oh, and for tonight's thing, dress sexy." She left Gertrude breathless and excited as she left.