Editing Story:ROAD TRIP! (Warhammer High)/Part Two (section)

===A Breather===

Venus sat back on a chair on the highest point of the city and stared out at the view.  The beautiful lines the water carved through the ash fanned out over the plains like a giant fossilized fern.  From their source at the north pole, the ribbons of water stretched down towards the sea, and flowed under the mountain in their path towards the seas.

The plainclothes serf next to her spoke inaudibly into a small microphone at his collar and walked away.  Venus languidly stretched and sipped at her water bottle.  “Hell of a view,” she said contentedly.

The plainclothesman knelt at her side and put his hand to his ear.  “City Governor Sralah wishes to reiterate his invitation to a formal dinner tonight for your Highness and your companions,” he said softly.

“Nope.  We’ve got plans for tonight.  Tomorrow, or any other day, sure, but not tonight,” Venus said, lacing her fingers behind her head.

The plainclothesman put his hand to his earbud again.  “Tomorrow, then, your Highness?” he asked.

“Sure.”
“He extends his gratitude and looks forward to meeting you,” the man said, bowing formally and withdrawing to the edge of the rooftop.

Venus sighed.  “Oh well.  At least I get to put my armor on again,” she said wryly.

Freya, lounging in the seat next to her, laughed.  “Hahah!  You really love that thing.”

“I do indeed,” Venus confessed with a guilty grin.  “It’s so badass.”

“The local news is fawning over you,” Freya giggled.  “Have you seen the op-eds?”

“I make a steadfast point of avoiding op-eds,” Venus sighed.  “In my own experience, the people who know least about a situation are the first to voice their opinions on it, nearly all the time.”

“How profound.”  Freya grabbed a bottle of sunscreen from the bag at her side and began applying it, to the rapt and well-concealed attention of every single man and a few women on the rooftop patio.  “So, what do you have planned for us?” she asked.

“Well, today we just relax and get settled.  Tomorrow, the cragfalls, on the ocean side.  Then dinner with the Governor and after that we improvise.  See whatever we want.”

Freya massaged sunscreen into her shoulders.  “Nifty.  Think Alex’s dad will bug us?”

“You’ve met him, I haven’t.  What do you think?” Venus asked.

Freya shrugged, carefully tossing her red braids over the back of her chair so they didn’t drag into the lotion.  “Who knows?  I think he’s just dumb enough to try.”

“Great.”  Venus ruefully shook her head.  “Oh well.  He won’t follow us to Fenris at least,” she said.  She turned sharply to look at Freya.  “Will he?”

“Not if he wants to live,” Freya casually remarked.  “I WILL have the Spirit of Fenris shoot his engines out if he tries.”

“The what now?” Venus asked.

“Fourth Great Company flagship, in drydock at the Fang for upgrades,” Freya said, rubbing lotion into her legs.  “Forget about it.  Trust me, he won’t try.  He’s secretly afraid of me,” she confided in a whisper.

“And he’s not afraid of me?” Venus asked tartly.

“Like you said,” Freya shot back.  “He hasn’t met you.”  She smirked under her shades as she added a coy addendum.  “I’m sure he’s just afraid of strong women.”

“Hmph.”  Venus sipped her drink again and settled back down to enjoy the view.