Chapter 36

 THIRTY-SIX

Cossette laid in bed and stared at the ceiling.

 

It had been her routine since coming to her families villa in North Erusea two months prior. Officially it was the Cascadia Military complex, the mountain compound served as one of the many luxurious retreats for the previous royal families of Erusea. Rosa remembered the cavernous hallways from the rare visits her parents made to the home in her youth. Now instead of being a private retreat, it served as the temporary home to the Monarchy while the Royal Palace was under repairs in Farbanti.

 

It was humiliating and she loathed having to leave her people in such a dire situation, but in the end the remaining members of Parliament who had survived the attacks had forced her hand. In their eyes, it was necessary to not lose the last of the Monarchy; Cossette understood but hated the choice all the same. It removed her from the people she had cared about, and some of the last people she had left to rely on.

 

It was all getting too much for her. For the first time since Tyler Island, she truly felt alone.

 

She looked out of the large window overlooking the countryside below the mountains. The lush fields were bathed in a cool blue light of the moon.

 

Where are you Trigger. She wondered.

 

Every night she thought back to the last time she had seen him.

***

Trigger looked down on her smiling.

“So, how was your first flight?” he asked, flashing her that boyish grin she fell in love with.

Cossette couldn’t help but smile. Between the adrenaline of their escape and generalized shock, the entire flight was an assault on all her senses, but at the same time it was exhilarating. This is what your life is like. She thought. “A bit bumpy but I think it went well.” She replied.

Trigger leaned in and gave her a kiss, before turning to see the Osean soldiers surround the airplane.

Silently he mimed for her to raise her hands in the air so the soldiers could see them. She understood of course and patiently waited in her seat for Trigger to talk to them.

She watched as he approached one of the Oseans. He said something but then immediately collapsed to the ground.

“Trigger!” she shouted in horror.

“Keep your hands in the air!” Barked another Osean, she looked out to see dozens of rifles pointed at her.

 

She watched in horror at the scene that unfolded next.

 

A small group of the Osean soldiers had rolled Trigger over and surrounded him. From what she could see, it looked as if he was slowly coming to. Suddenly one of the Oseans sent a swift kick into the side of Trigger. Cossette watched as he writhed in pain, but before he could fully react, another kick was delivered.

 

Cossette had seen how Oseans treated their Prisoners firsthand, but it had been nothing as brutal as this. The sight reminded her of how her own countrymen had treated the People of Tyler Island. Those atrocities were only finally banished to her nightmares but were now being reenacted right in front of her eyes. The brutality the Oseans were showing was not that of someone besting a foe, it was far more personal. They knew who he was, and they knew who she was, and they were looking for their pound of flesh on the betrayal they felt.

 

As soon as the swarm began, they had started to drag Triggers bleeding body out of her sight.

 

Soon, there was a clambering up the ladder. A Female Osean shined a bright flashlight in Cossette’s eyes. Instinctively, she lowered one hand to deflect the blinding light, however it was brutally slapped away by the female soldier.

The Soldier clicked off the light and yelled over her shoulder.

“Yeah its her!”

 

Cossette blinked, trying to see past the spots in her vision. Suddenly the Soldier had slid down the ladder and a more permanent set of steps was brought out to the jet.

 

Cossette heard shouting. “Jesus Christ in heaven what are you doing? Lower your weapons!” bellowed a male voice.  Cossette leaned over the edge of the cockpit to see the commotion, a much older black man had arrived in a hap hazard uniform and was quickly coordinating the Oseans.

Probably the base commander?

 

Her questions were answered moments later when he had clambered up the steps to greet her.

He held out a hand and smiled broadly.

“Princess, I do apologize for the rude welcome to our airbase. If you’ll just wait for a moment, we’ll get you to better accommodations.” He reassured.

“Wait! Where’s Trigger?” Cossette asked frantically.

The man furrowed his brow. “I’m sorry Ma’am, who?”

“My Pilot. He’s an Osean Major. Your men literally just finished beating him.” Cossette said forcefully.

The man shook his head. “Ma’am, I promise I will look into that. But more importantly we need to get you off the ramp. I’m sure your aware but this has once again become a war zone.” He urged.

***
The Doctor flashed a light in both of Cossette’s eyes. Holding out her fingers she instructed Cossette to squeeze them. Then she took a drop of blood from a prick in her finger and ran a handful of other tests on Cossette. Satisfied, the middle-aged woman sighed. “Well, your highness, I understand you probably get more thorough medical care normally, but understand I’m still needed elsewhere.” She said apologetically.

Cossette smiled weakly “Its fine, thank you.” She replied.

The doctor nodded and left the small makeshift exam room.

 

It was a moment before there was a knock on the door. “Come in” Cossette said weakly. The older man from before stepped in the room, this time flanked by two armed Oseans. Cossette instinctively felt a pit form in her stomach. Sensing this the man dismissed his guards and took a seat across from her.

“I am sorry about that Ma’am. Things are a little tense, and they don’t want to leave me alone.” He said laughing slightly. It did little to put her mind at ease.

He continued “Let me introduce myself. I’m Lieutenant Colonel Jones of the Osean Air Defense Force. I’m the deputy commander of McKnight airbase.” He introduced himself, holding his hand out to shake.

Cossette took it cautiously. “I think you already know who I am.” She said. Jones nodded “Indeed I do Ma’am, and if I may say I am extremely glad to see your Ok all things considered.”

“What do you mean?” Cossette asked.

“Oh, I see you haven’t been told. Farbanti Airbase, where we thought you were, was just taken off the map. We’re looking for survivors but, its not promising.”

 

Everything that Radical had said came to pass.

 

“What about Trigger?” she said weakly.

Jones sighed. “Unfortunately, Ma’am. My men don’t have any record of any pilot who came here with you. The Major you mentioned was at Farbanti and is currently MIA.” Jones replied.

“Your lying!” Cossette shot back, emotion welling up in her voice as tears formed in her eyes.

The response made Jones recoil slightly “I’m sorry ma’am, I don’t know what I can tell you. I only showed up after the fact and I trust my men.” He stated.

“You need to believe me!” she replied, tears now freely falling from her eyes. Jones sighed heavily and stood up.

“Im sorry Ma’am, that’s simply something I can’t do. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a base defense I need to see to. We’ve already informed the few Conservative contacts that we have left about your presence here. I’ll have you escorted to some quarters, and you’ll be in our custody until your people arrive.” Jones stated before leaving Cossette.  

 

***

it was the same sequence of events that she went through night after night.

Post-traumatic stress disorder the doctors called it. Hysteria her detractors in the media had labelled it.

 

Per the official record of both Osea and Erusea, Trigger had been one of the thousands dead and missing from that night. And despite her protesting otherwise, there was no special consideration given to finding him. Instead of his brave actions, it was the cold and mechanical actions of an EASA programming built within the Wyvern that delivered her to safety.

 

Obsessive was the term most used in hushed tones by the staff of Cascadia. No one believed her, and Cossette knew the more she outwardly looked for answer, the less her people trusted her to lead them. So instead, Cossette reverted to what she knew best; She put on a brave face and tried to push Trigger and that night out of her mind. Once she did this, the mood of her subordinates changed significantly, and she once again was allowed to lead her fellow countrymen again.

 

She loathed herself for that choice.

 

The sun had only just started to rise, long shadows from the Mountain peaks above basked the landscape in a dark blue, while the orange blazed a brilliant orange. Gently, Cossette crept from her bed and out to the balcony. She was lost in thought, watching the sun’s rays paint a mesmerizing picture before her until a knocking caught her attention. She turned to see the only member of the staff authorized to bother her in her room.

 

It was Gretchen.

 

Cossette flashed a weak smile. “I’m sorry, I thought I would wake myself up today.”

The Maid shook her head “Pay no mind to it Princess. I just came to let you know that your breakfast is ready whenever you wish.”

“Thankyou Gretchen.” Cossette said,

“And one last thing Your Highness, you should know we do have a guest joining us today.” Gretchen informed, a tone of disdain in her voice.

“Do we now?” Cossette replied tiredly. “Can’t we just have the soldiers execute him or something?”

“I’m afraid not, less you want to start another war so quickly.” Gretchen replied swiftly.

“Fine.” Cossette replied bitterly.

***

The sleek silver business jets tires squealed as a black plume of smoke shot from them.

 

Cossette had been at McKnight two days. In that time, they had given her almost every courtesy and the finest accommodations, but it only proved to be no more than a gilded cage. Outside of the Officer’s quarters they loaned her, she wasn’t allowed anywhere without an armed Osean escort.

 

She was exhausted and ready to return home. That jet hopefully would be her ticket out of this place.

The jet got closer, and the engines whined down to a stop. To Cossette’s chagrin, instead of the seal of the Erusean Royal Family, or the roundel of the Erusean Air Force, the jet adorned a single silhouetted seal on the door. The door of the jet opened with a hiss, a moment later a man leisurely walked down the steps, sporting a fine suit and polarized sunglasses with short cropped blond hair. He smiled broadly when he saw Cossette.

“Ah! Cossette mein Schatz! Its been too long.” He exclaimed as he rushed to greet her.

“Hello Alex. I was unaware you we’re coming.” Cossette replied coldly.

The man paid little heed to her tone and continued his smile “Well of course your military wanted to send one of their transports, but that simply wouldn’t do for a woman of your status. Instead, I have lent all the resources I have at my disposal to returning you back to Farbanti.” Alex replied.

“Why thank you Herr Schmidt, your too kind” Cossette replied. While she appreciated the gesture, she would have rather walked back to Farbanti given the option.

“Well, if you would like, I did have my assistant pack multiple changes of cloths, they’re waiting for you in the aft cabin of the Gulfstream. My staff and I will wait outside until your done changing.” Alex instructed, pointing to the jet. Cossette knew of course he was referring to her current garments. With her cloths filthy and tattered from her and Triggers escape from Farbanti, the Oseans were only able to give her an athletic track suit and t-shirts to wear during her brief stay. Most would consider it unlady like to wear, but it suited Cossette just fine.

“No, I think I’ll be ok with these. Your hospitality alone is enough” She rebuked.

The smile left Alex’s face. “I see, well if you’ll come this way Princess, we shall get you from this wretched place.”

Cossette took a seat in one of the plush chairs along the cabin. True to his word, there was a separate bedroom compartment, but Cossette had no intents on using it. As the jet departed, she could feel her own heart being torn away. No matter what the Oseans said, she knew what she saw.

“Forgive me.” She whispered underneath her breath.

***

Walking into the main dining room of the Villa, she found Alex sitting behind the table, reading a newspaper, and drinking a cup of coffee.

“Ah I see the freeloader is still here.” Cossette said loudly, getting his attention.

“You do know I have a name.” Alex replied, rebuffing the insult.

“Oh, I do, but I prefer freeloader as it describes you.” Cossette shot back.

Alex put down the news paper and stood up. Quickly he closed the distance to Cossette.

“You know you need me.” He growled. He was close enough that Cossette’s eyes watered from his cologne. “You saw how little they cared this second time around. Your own people view you as an ineffectual leader, and not even Yuktobania or Osea lifted much of a finger to pick up the rubble of this last mess you made.

Cossette bit her tongue. Despite his brusque remarks, Alex had been correct. Unlike the rapid response to the refugee crisis following the Lighthouse war, the final attack of the Radicals had only been the slightest whisper on the international stage. Other states in Usea were more concerned with it increasing the flow of refugees into their territories. Even Cossette’s own people either sympathized with the Radicals, viewing them as martyrs for a day when Erusea was a feared and respected country; Or they viewed Cossette as the cause for the pain and suffering of the attack.

“Alas mein Schatz, I am not the evil king, you’re not the damsel in distress and there is no knight in shining armor coming to rescue you. You and I both need each other to further our own goals, and the sooner you come to recognize this, the easier it will be.” Alex continued.

“we’ll see about that.” Cossette spat back defiantly.

Alex chuckled softly at the remark. “I know you had a side piece before Farbanti. I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to keep that action going. But for appearances? Let’s try to look like a happy couple.” He spoke.

“Happy couple my ass.” Cossette said disdainfully.