Hey everyone! Thanks for all the positive feedback on the first chapter of this! I'm writing it in my limited down-time, and it's entirely un-betad rough draft. If you enjoy it, check out my writing blog for my original fiction at .com

Looking forward to Goliath!

An Alliance of Fools

Part II – The "Princely" Precedent

Deryn hadn't expected the smell of Austria to prick her eyes with tears, so it was just as well that the sight of Alek bashed her silly as an Elephantine kick. She nearly dropper her rigid salute as he strode across the field toward them, slowly coming into focus. Barking spiders. He'd grown up.

Alek had—annoyingly—remained as good at avoiding photographers as ever, so in Deryn's mind he'd remained the same: sixteen, haughty, handsome…and shorter than her. He certainly had not been so close a match in height to Count Volger, who strode along at Alek's shoulder, vulpine as ever. Alek at least drew even with her now, maybe a squick taller if she took off her rubber-soled uniform shoes.

The geometry of his face had emerged, showing off the angular features and deep-set green eyes. And was that…yes, it was a scar running a slim white curve over his jaw. Apparrently, Alek had used that saber of his after all. Deryn felt a wriggle of sadness in her belly, like a Huxley dtraining at a mooring knot. Alek's scar was a rather dashing hint of roguishness on his straight-laced appearance; Deryn had plenty of battle scars she was proud of, but…

But just the one made her a squick self-conscious. Not that Alek could see it. But if… She shut down her brain before she could pursue that dangerous train of thought.

Hell, but he cut a handsome figure all tailored and decorated in Hapsburg formal, with a more-than-ornamental sword hanging from his hip. She couned at least three other weapons: a pistol, a hunting-knife, and probable a fifteen centimeter dagger strapped under his left sleeve. If not, it was splinted. But she doubted that.

He was a man now, dead proper. Blisters, how unexpected.

The medals on his breast flashed back at her as he strode onto the pitch to meet them, and when he stopped a few meters away it was all Deryn could do to keep her eyes straight ahead. This was no joyous reunion—it was a military mission. As if to underscore this fact, Alek snapped a smart salute.

"Lieutenant Colonal _." Alek said—oi, his voice got deeper too!—and shook the officer's hand.

"_," the colonal responded, and Deryn felt her whole gut reorient. It was definitely wrong to laugh in this situation, but the unnerving reminder that her Alek was actually an Emperor made her at once giddy and depressed. Knowing what Alek's station was was totally different from hearing someone address him that way.

But, in public at least, Deryn would have to call him that too. Hopefully, she was still allowed to call him Alek in private.

Suddenly, his green eyes were in front of her, glinting strangely. Yep, he was a squick taller than her now, even with her anti-electrik boots. She stared a moment, dumb struck be the familiar face with its alien adultness so close-up. Alek's expression seemed to twitch.

"At ease, Lieutenant Sharp."

Deryn dropped her hand from the salute and grasped his proffered hand. There were far more calluses than she remembered.

"A belated congratulations on your promotion," he said. Deryn, whose arm had seemed to go numb from toughing him, opened her mouth to respond, but snapped it shut with an audible click as the barking Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary, her best friend Alek, bent to kiss her hand.

Her back went lightning-rod straight, all her muscles tensed as if he were electrocuting her.

Barking proper. Or was it? She was a rutting military officer in the BAF! He couldn't go around kissing her hand like a lady in waiting! Or could he? It wasn't as if there was any protocol for the greeting of a female officer, seeing as Deryn was the first one.

Barking princes. Or Archdukes. Or Emperor-King-whatsits. Leave it to Alek to set a precident within the first five minutes of seeing her.

Alek rose, and she saw the amused glitter in his eyes as he took in her expression. No doubt she was as red as his cravat. Oh, she would get hell for this later. Lucky for her the men knew better than to laugh in front of a sodding Emperor. But how did she respond? She couldn't return the congratulations for becoming Emperor of an Empire he'd just lost.

"Thank you, _," she said, overtly solemn in the face of his extravagant title. "It's good to see you again." No use pretending they didn't know each other.

"And you as well, Lieutenant," he said. "How ever unfortunate the circumstances." His hand slid away and he stepped back, addressing them at large. "May I present Count Volger," he began, gesturing to the man, who bowed, eyes measuring each of the soldiers individually and remaining longest on Deryn. "And Master Engineer, Otto Klopp." Introductions finished, he nodded to the Lieutenant Colonel. "I am certain you have your orders."

Just as Alek took a breath to continue, something struggled out of Klopp's arms and bounded toward Deryn. Alek made a grab for it, but mussed, and next moment, Bovril had scaled Deryn's uniform and wound itself around her face.

So much for an elegant first impression. She untangled the loris's claws from her hair, desperately wishing someone would laugh to diffuse the tension, and dragged Bovril off her face.

"It seems he missed you too," Alek said, and Deryn patted Bovril on the head, trying to remain serious despite the fact that he had said "too", suggesting that Alek had missed her that much. Only then did she realize the loris's claws were scrabbling softly around the back of her neck, fiddling with the chain that was, even now, hidden inside her uniform.

"Allies," the creature said. Deryn froze. Had Bovril not learned to choose his timing yet? One might think after being near a politician for so long…

"I do apologize for him," Alek said, gathering the loris into his arms. Their eyes met briefly, and with identical fear—what if Bovril repeated other things? Deryn had done enough to get her expelled from the service, or even court-martialed, if the Lieutenant Colonel ever looked into it. But it wasn't him Deryn was worried about.

On her right, Fitzroy's eyes sharpened. The man had had it out for her since before she'd been chosen in favor of him to remain aboard the Leviathan, and everything that had happened since then had only made him more abrasive. If there was anyone she had hoped never to work with again, it was him. The others might take the Mickey out sometimes, but none of them would ever truly insult her.

Deryn kept her eyes staunchly forward as they followed Alek off the green, lagging behind just out of hearing range.

"I think Lieutenant Sharp needs a change of knickers," remarked McOwen. Deryn punched him on the arm hard enough to leave a bruise.

"Can I kiss your hand too?" laughed Wilcox.

"Sure," Deryn said. "It'll be right there when I knock out your teeth."

So the teasing began.