The Mouse and The Monarch

2

Ophelia stepped into the room, taking in the simple arrangement that awaited her.

The space was a little larger than she expected, but the single beds on either side of the room left little room for extravagance.

Her eyes darted to the bed on the left, noticing the subtle signs of recent use.

The grey sheets were tucked neatly around the bed. The one pillow neatly resting against the wall.

It bore the imprint of someone who had occupied it recently but was otherwise immaculately empty.

Neatly folded gear and weapons on the desk hinted at a disciplined owner, leaving an imprint of their presence even in their absence.

Her eyes tracked over the weapons.

Guns and knives were laid out in a precise order across the wood reflecting the dim light around them.

Not creepy at all. She thought as she moved a little further into the room.

Apart from the gear and imprint of a body on the bed, there was nothing else in the room that hinted a person had been there at all.

No personal mementos, no photos, clothes, books or anything.

Just a blank, neat page.

"We all share bunks. The island's not that big, and it keeps everything in order," Zero explained, gesturing toward a door attached to the furthest wall.

A smirk played on his lips as he commented.

"Private bathrooms, pretty good deal," a subtle acknowledgment of the luxury that eluded the chaos of shared facilities.

Ophelia couldn't help but agree, communal living was a horror show.

She approached the unclaimed bed in the right corner, her duffel bag landing with a soft thud as she took in the room.

"Who am I bunking with?" Ophelia inquired, her eyes locking onto Zero's face.

A wince crossed his features, a fleeting expression that didn't escape her notice.

It was obvious he didn't want her to be in here, but he couldn't argue orders.

His response came with a measure of reassurance.

"König. But don't freak out, Kid. He's quiet and calm. He won't give you any trouble. If he did, Zeus would kill him. We need someone practised in espionage and he can't afford to lose you," Zero said as he smiled a little.

Ophelia doubted that even Zeus could take out the massive man she'd seen cleaning his rifle in the mess hall.

Nervousness skirted around her stomach.

"Why not with one of the other women?" she asked, a curiosity lacing her words.

The notion of sharing quarters with a woman seemed to be the more conventional and rational choice, yet she detected no sense of discomfort in the prospect of rooming with König.

Other than the fact he was weird.

Her eyes moved over to the weapons on the desk. They seemed to stare back at her.

She had shared much more cramped barracks with men and it wasn't a problem.

They weren't on camp, this was their job.

Zero sighed, his gaze briefly escaping the confines of the room as he commented.

"I share with Roze....Calisto needs her own space. She doesn't cope well with others." He whispered as if he too, was scared of the black-haired woman.

Ophelia nodded in understanding.

The dark aura surrounding Calisto made it clear that she was a force to be reckoned with.

Which meant her need for solitude was probably justified.

Plus, Ophelia would rather be slightly uncomfortable than stabbed in her sleep.

As Ophelia began to unpack, she shifted her attention to the matter of hierarchy. The roles and responsibilities within their covert unit.

"Ranks?" she inquired, her fingers deftly sorting through her gear and sanitary items.

"Me, you, O'Conor and Roze are Sergeants," Zero replied, listing off the lower ranks.

His words held a casual cadence as if the intricacies of their military structure were second nature to him.

"Oni, Fisker, Askel, Calisto and Horangi are L.T.'s," he continued, designating the next tier of authority.

The names resonated with a diverse range of backgrounds and skills, each member contributing to the collective strength of their unit.

Zero's gaze then drifted toward the bed on the other side of the room where König's supposed space was.

Not that it looked like it.

"Colonel," he stated in a small voice.

Ophelia raised an eyebrow and froze in her unpacking at the revelation.

Her roommate was a Colonel.

A position of authority that commanded respect and hinted at a wealth of experience.

Which meant he held rank over her.

"Putain d'enfer," she swore under her breath as she stood up and turned towards Zero.

If she put a toe out of line, her new Colonel would know and have the authority to do something about it.

"You're joking," she said stiffly as she watched Zero smirk and shake his head.

She knew he wasn't, but the idea of one of the lower-ranking operatives being roomed with a Colonel was odd.

Unless...

Her mind worked back to when Zeus told her he had read her files.

Nausea clawed at her stomach as she turned towards the Colonel's side of the room.

Maybe Zeus wanted to keep an eye on her. Make sure she didn't flip out and murder the whole team.

Zero sighed and ran a hand over his short brown hair.

"Second in command next to Zeus, first when on the field. Try not to piss him off too much," he said with a small smile.

He knew her too well.

Ophelia's playful grin returned as she tried to push her thoughts aside.

"Alright Sarg, let me put on my training gear, then I can beat your ass in the ring like I used to," She said drawing her training clothes from the depths of her duffel.

Zero's wide smile mirrored her enthusiasm.

"Bring it on," he replied with a twinkle in his eye.

~~~~~~~~~~

TRANSLATIONS

French

"Putain d'enfer," - fucking hell