This got awkward quickly.

   The women sat around the table in silence. Liberty was smiling across at the two women. Winnifred was looking down at the table and shooting nervous glances at the woman to her side, while their new addition glared across at Liberty with her arms crossed over her chest.

   "So you've offered my cousin a golden deal, have you?" An eyebrow winged up in obvious challenge as she continued to eye her. After she had burst into the workshop, she had stopped short, immediately eyeing Liberty and Erica with suspicion. Crossing to the table and dropping her slender, muscular frame into the last open chair, adjusting the sword at ther hip she was wearing to sit comfortably, she had taken in the sketches that Winnifred had been scribling on as well as the elegant poised way that Liberty perched on her seat and demanded an explanation.

   "You're not the first to come calling, but I won't let her get taken advantage of again. She's worth more than that." She slapped her hand on the table, causing the dishware to rattle, then leaned back, green eyes locked onto Liberty, and waiting for her to respond.

   Liberty took her own time, letting her gaze peruse the honey blond hair slicked into a set of braids that crisscrossed her temples and were tied back with the rest of her hair in a high tail at the back of her head that flowed past her shoulders. It reminded Liberty of something she would see on a Viking warrior maiden. Her eyes lingered for a moment on the coat of arms on the breast of the jacket, left open, and fitted shirt with the top couple of buttons left open, highlighting the rakish, carefree air surrounding the woman. She didn't miss that while one hand was tapping its fingers on the table's surface, the other was resting on her belt, inches away from the hilt of that sword.

  "I'm not offering her anything she doesn't deserve. Winnifred is a once-in-a-generation talent. It would take a fool not to want to work with her." Taking a deep breath in and letting a smile fall from her face. "I have so many things I want to create with her, plans that can only work if I have her help. I'm not offering her a golden opportunity. She's giving me one." 

   Liberty held the woman's gaze, hoping her sincerity would show. These women would pave the way for her, and she only had a few more months to get everything in place. That wasn't a lot of time to get a team up and running, but she would not have the main story swing into action without some way to protect herself. She didn't know if the story would exert any pressure to conform to its dictates. It might be fine just to hide at home and just avoid everything, or she might have to try and fight her way out of having to have a forced whirlwind courtship with a narcissistic jerk that ends with me locked up in a palace at his beck and call. No way am I going to sit back and just see what happens. She had been raised on The Art of War. The fourth essential for victory - ' He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared'.  Liberty wouldn't bet her future on anything but herself. Well, herself and these two women.

  "I do, however, know what she has been through. I know that she has been used and exploited for those talents by those who dearly deserve to be made to pay for it. Some of my plans involve ways for that to happen. But I do get why it would be hard to trust someone who just showed up like this." She leaned back, locking eyes with the blond woman, and gave her a sly grin. "But I will offer you a chance to make sure that I am on the up and up. Come with her. I require someone with your talents as well, Dame Gwendolyn Halwind. Keep an eye on your cousin and put your own, very impressive skills to good use."

   Gwendolyn's gaze sharpened, and she leaned forward aggressively. "How do you know who I am?"

   "Exactly how many female knights in the Imperial Guards who are also related to Winnifred do you think there are? " The woman colored at Liberty's wry tone and raised eyebrow. "I mean, you're wearing the uniform." She chuckled and shook her head slightly. " I know the Blanc household is known for its political neutrality, but if you think that means that we don't have the basic skills to check the known associates for potential business partners, I am going to have to feel a bit insulted." Maybe it was time to be a little more assertive.

   "I know more than just the basics, though." She gestured to the silent woman who still had her gaze trained on her lap, where her hands were locked. "Winnifred Tallow- youngest daughter of the esteemed family of alchemists, exceptional craftswoman and scientist since childhood, locked up in her family estate to crank out breakthroughs and new inventions for her brother's glory. Now escaped here to struggle and attempt to survive in this little workshop, making toys for sale at the market. Anyone with a brain could see that for her gifts to shine, she will need a wealthy patron who can set up a proper laboratory and resources."

   "Then there's you, Gwendolyn. Oldest child of Viscount Halwind trained since childhood to follow in your family's tradition of excellent swordsmanship and military excellence. At least you were. Until your brother was born and you had to start fighting to continue your training and not be sent to the sitting room with your mother and sisters to embroider and wait for them to pick out a husband for you."

   Anger flashed across the young officer's face and then faded to a look of wounded pride. "Why would I leave the Imperial Guards to work for a mere Count? The Guards are the pinnacle for a knight. It's the dream of every squire who picks up a sword." The authority in her voice sounded convincing-unless you noticed the minute hardening of her features or the slight tightening of her grip on the hilt of her sword.

   "A Dream? I suppose many do dream of becoming an Imperial Guard. Though dreams aren't always what we expect when they become reality. Are they?" There was no hint of mockery or pity in her voice as she continued to hold Gwendolyn's gaze. "Especially for a woman who has to work three times as hard as the male cadets in her squad just to be allowed to do the tasks they don't want." Liberty leaned forward and tapped her index finger onto the table. "You are just as much a genius as Winnifred. You are a knight who, if given the chance, will redefine what it means to be a sword master. But they won't give you that chance, Gwendolyn." 

   No. She will be killed defending her squad in a bloody battle a year from now with her superiors. Just a line in the original story about a rogue guard squad that needed to be expunged to show that the male lead could be tough on those who didn't follow the crazy orders that he would hand down. Who would blindly follow the order to arrest and execute their own cousin?

   "Do you really think they will give you that chance?" She let her own dissatisfaction with this world show on her face. The looks of cautious curiosity on their faces told her she needed these women to understand what she really wanted if she was going to succeed. "This whole system isn't set up to let us step out of our 'place,' " the edge of her upper lip raising in a slight sneer as she gestured between all of them. " A brilliant artificer and alchemist, a master swordswoman, and a meek and mild Count's daughter. What will they really allow us to be, or become? " She saw the faint hostility from Gwendolyn fade away to be replaced by a more calculating look while Winnifred finally raised her head to fully look at Liberty.

   She pointed to Winnifred. "A dirty secret kept working in the shadows for others' profit?" She pointed at Gendolyn. "A workhorse holding up their antiquated system of rewards and punishments, eventually to become a bloody sacrifice for their ambition with no voice or choice of your own?" She pointed at herself with a harsh sneer, twisting her delicate features. "A bride, sold to the highest bidder for the most profit or power? Trapped in one gilded cage after another and expected to thank them for the privilege." The shocked looks on the women's faces made Liberty think she might have let a little too much of how she really felt about the screwed up setting of this novel show. She took in a steadying breath, blew it out slowly, and schooled her features back to the slightly amused mask she had been wearing since leaving the carriage earlier.

   The cousins saw her return to composure and schooled their own features. They exchanged a look that seemed to encompass a whole conversation between them. Surprisingly, it was Winnifred who spoke up first, while Gwendolyn was now the one with her eyes cast down. though her hand was still gripping the hilt of her sword. "We don't dispute what you are saying," the young woman's soft voice was calm and steady as she responded. "This is the way of the world we live in. How can we believe that there is anything else out there for us?"The resigned look she aimed at Liberty told her that the women wanted her to give them assurances. Convince them to take the risk. 

   "Erica, my dear?" She glanced over her shoulder and motioned for the maid to join the other two women. She was going to have to reveal more of her plan than she had so far to the little maid. This was a risk, but if she could succeed here, it would be worth it. She took a deep breath and focused her thoughts.

   "You are correct. This whole society is set up to make us fail. To squash us like bugs if we try to step out of line. That's why I want to change the system. And if I can't change it, I'll burn it to the ground and start over." There were a couple of gasps from Winnifred and Erica, while Gwendolyn locked eyes with her again, hope beginning to dawn. 

    She had them.

   "This is how I need you to help me." The smile that spread across Liberty's face was genuine, and a little bit predatory.

  The sun was setting as she exited the workshop with Erica, nodding to the guards as they fell into step behind them. They made their way back to the carriage and settled in for the ride back to the estate.

   "Well, that went rather well." There was pride in the little maid's tone as she opened the hamper of snacks that she always tucked away for trips and offered it to Liberty.

   "I am pretty happy with how it turned out. It was pretty good for the first step. Now we just have to follow through and move on to step two as soon as we can. Time waits for no man and all that." She smiled and took a cookie to nibble on. "I'll need you to get an agent to find the right properties for what we'll need. Plenty of space for a laboratory and training. Preferably not in the city center, of course. someplace where we won't be noticed but still safe." Rattling off specifics to Erica felt good. Her escape from a fate she felt was worse than death was finally beginning.

   The girls had been all she could have hoped for. Once they made the decision to trust her, they had jumped into plans whole heartedly. Winnifred would begin the process of packing up her workshop in preparation to move and Gwendolyn was going to resign her commission in the guards and, on paper, join the Count of Blanc's guards as a personal guard for Lady Serena. Now she just had to find them all a new home.

  

   A few days later, she was standing in the middle of a property just outside the market she had been searching so diligently. Erica had outdone herself in finding an agent who was able to find just what they needed in so short a time, and after her first walk through of the place, Liberty had bought it immediately. It was perfect.

   The property was large, and while not as elegantly appointed as the properties in the noble end of town, it would suit their needs to a tee. Just one street away from a bustling market, what appeared to be one large building occupying a full block, was actually four buildings sharing walls at the corners, set in a square around an open courtyard in the center. She was currently standing in that courtyard, observing the different buildings. Right now, except for those shared walls, each building was completely separate and self-contained, with entryways on three of the sides leading to the three streets that bordered the building on each of the individual sides.  It seems that it had originally been set up to house three shops and a residence on the fourth side that didn't open onto an actual street. Each shop also had a door that opened onto the courtyard she was standing in, which seemed to be the only way to enter the residence, as the only exterior door was here. A few slight adjustments, and this would give them everything they would need.

   Winnie and Gwen would love it. 

   That was a development she was really proud of. Gwen had become her guard as planned, with very little fuss. The Count had been ecstatic that an Imperial Guard wanted to work for his little girl and had signed her up right away with a substantial raise in pay. So now she spent practically all day with the swordswoman, and they had naturally grown closer. They had also been visiting Winnie's lab for hours every day to go over the details for the items that the alchemist was working on for her.  The walls had broken down quickly between them all, and they had become comfortable around each other fast. For Liberty, it was comforting to have people she considered to be, if not best friends like Jane and Tara, at least close companions with whom she could be herself. While she had, to a large extent, settled into Serena's life and family, she still felt very much like Liberty in her own mind. She was just playing Serena for others, and it was tiring. Having people she could be her true self with, even if they didn't know the difference, was intoxicatingly freeing to her.

    She had been so sick of everyone 'my lady'ing her all the time, so when she heard them calling each other nicknames, she had insisted on them giving her a nickname of her own on the spot. In return, they insisted on her using theirs as well. So Winnifred became Winnie, Gwendolyn became Gwen, and Lady Serena became Rena. Erica, being very proud of her status as a lady's maid, was the only one who was immune to the new sense of camaraderie and still insisted on keeping to proper etiquette. Liberty had respected her choice but hoped to wear the girl down someday. She considered her just as important as the other two women to her plan now. Just look at how quickly she had gotten this done.

   She stopped imagining the training ground that would replace the currently overgrown garden and turned to head back into the main shop. The carpenters and masons would be here soon to go over the changes she was going to make, and she felt the excited flutters building in her stomach. It was finally starting.

   She would tell Erica to set up the meeting with her next recruit.