The Tale of Amaretto

Thirty-First Grain

In Which Mother Chime is Finally Met and the Players Assembled...

Alice looked at Johanna with a dismal stare and then huffed. "It's the queen. We need to find out why she is here!"

Johanna shook her head. The ferocity of her disagreeing with Alice was plain as livid lines across her forehead as she frowned. "She still never said why she was here in the Cloister of Science."

Amaretto looked at Johanna and then shook her aunt by the shoulder. "See? Look at her forehead! She's starting to show emotion!"

Katherine looked back and then shook her head. "For all we know she could have just been showing reserve the whole time. British ladies are renowned for their poise. Those of the Empire of New Machina are even better at it. Subterfuge is a high commodity." Amaretto rolled her eyes.

The queen shook her head and then started to chuckle slightly. "If all you wanted to know was why we were here, then we shall tell you. I was here to see Mother Chime and get what she promised to me."

The words made Amaretto a little confused. A dumbfounded look crossed her face that she quickly shook her head to make go away and look more relaxed. She looked to Katherine who was trying not to let a similarly perplexed look to cross her face as well. "Wait, she came here at the insistence of Mother Chime? So then what are we doing trying to rescue her?"

Both Alice and Johanna looked to the woman who was obviously attached to the floor. The queen moved forwards and Amaretto could finally see the hoses and attachments that were there. The thin hoses spread out from under her dress and connected to ports and knobs along the floor, and soft trails of steam spread along the floor. Amaretto bit her lip in frustration. Everything was getting out of control, she was more confused now than when she had gone into the watch shop to change clothes. The queen smiled and then said in a small voice, "This is the reason that we came here."

Alice's brows knit together and she looked at the woman on the bed. "Then who is that?" Her voice was solidly concerned.

The queen smiled and looked back at the bed wistfully. "That was the old me."

Johanna narrowed her eyes and Katherine stopped looking through her purse. Amaretto took a step forwards towards the bed and then turned around shaking her head. She felt eh question come out before she even meant to say it, "The old you; what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

Alice suddenly took a sharp intake of breath. "Dear angels in heaven," she exclaimed. "The queen has been sick for the past three years. It was thought to be an incurable disease. That was when Mother Chime came and the changes started taking place. The reason for all of this has been the culmination of this?" Alice motioned to what appeared to be the queen's new body.

The queen smiled and then put her hands on her hips. Her nails clicked against her waist in a slight metallic sound. She then raised her arms and quickly turned a couple of times, showing off her new body. Amaretto was surprised that none of the coils of hose got tangled. The queen smiled once more and said, "Mother Chime came with her scientists and with a plan as well."

Amaretto narrowed her eyes. "This plan was to give you another body?"

A melodic voice answered her question at that moment. "Why yes it was. I never thought it would happen this quickly though."

Everyone in the room quickly turned around and looked to see who it was that was speaking. A woman sashayed into the room. She was dressed in a long flowing blue gown of muslin and seemed to cling to her frame. Her eyes were a very dark shade of gray that seemed to encompass the whole of her socket. Her skin was a pale shade of off-white, which had a bluish tint to it as well. Her lips had been curved into a rather disarming smile and cunning eyes. Amaretto thought she looked like a well dressed cadaver.