"Again." Roxy said through gritted teeth, pushing her body off the floor and pulling herself to stand. She rolled her shoulders and compartmentalized all the aches into something more useful. Once she's up, she looked onward. "Again."

Eggsy groaned from his position kneeling on the floor before her, his head pushed forward till his chin met his chest.

"Again." She raised her fists.

Susan nodded and let go of Eggsy's head, kneeing him forward, and it was only his fast reflexes that saved him from face planting on the floor. Instead, he maneuvered with grace to his feet.

Well, as graceful as one could after being decked and brought to the ground five times in a row.

"You all right?"

"You?"

"Peachy, bruv."

"Then stop dallying, Eggsy."

"Any plan on handling this? Losing five times in a row doesn't really help my self-esteem."

Roxy gritted her teeth. It wasn't doing her wonders either and it wasn't helping that she had three to four hand to hand fighting techniques close to mastery at this point. These fights were in ways, like every other fight she had with many of the Kingsman. She was bound to lose and she was to take it as a lesson to improvement. She had gone far from when she started. The fact that Susan was steps ahead of them was just another challenge. The instance of figuring out how to counter a move too late only to be barraged by more was an old story.

Indeed. It was an old story. It had happened time and time again. With the same characters and annoyingly, still the same end.

Which was why she should be better. She shouldn't be living through the same old. She's better than that. She should be better than that.

"Follow my lead this time." Eggsy said.

She relaxed her stance and mapped out her attack. "Again."

Susan didn't even look half as bad as they were. Oh, she looked unkempt and her hair had long given up on being the effortless braid that she usually wore. Add to it a blooming bruise on her shoulder. But, that's as far as an achievement they could claim. From what Roxy could tell from all the times she lost, observed Eggsy being defeated and all the fighting they've done in the past days, she's well versed in a plenty of fighting styles to the point that it's ingrained to her and she could shift through them with ease. Nothing new. She did notice that she preferred midrange and defensive combat most of the time. Something she was sure Eggsy noticed and they could exploit.

"Last round for today." Susan widened her stance and bent her knees a bit. "Then you'll tell me who's the best in hand to hand amid all the Kingsman right now."

"Planning to test your skills then?"

"That. And aren't they supposed to be teaching me?"

Roxy wasn't really sure what happened, but after the incident with the room there was a shift. It was subtle and she couldn't pinpoint it. The best way she could word it was that Susan felt like she realized something and was now trying to reach something. Something in a degree of haste. Some point in time, place or ability. Something.

Susan raised her hand and signaled come hither. "Come on then. No holding back now."

Eggsy rushed head on. Roxy braced herself and followed.

She would learn this. She would win this. Not now, most likely, but she would find something of use from this. Something new and something important.

In about seven minutes later, Roxy learned one thing from her spot on the floor.

Susan always had a trick up her sleeve. Always.

"What runs in your heads during these fights?" Susan asked as she stretched, in what Roxy could assume was a check for damage. Eggsy's breathing was loud, and Roxy remembered how Susan twisted his arm to the point that he yelled. Even then, she didn't let him go. The moment she did, she also slammed his face on the ground.

"How to win." Eggsy grunted, prodding his nose. Susan approached, then crouched before him, reaching out to hold his chin. "Careful."

"You're going to be fine. I was careful not to damage your face too much." Susan shrugged, lips stretched to a fond smile. "Well, too much that it's obvious. You have a mission later after all."

Roxy watched as Susan patted Eggsy's cheek, then turned her gaze to meet her own. "What about you Roxy?"

"The next opening and how to take advantage of it."

"In the end, how to win?"

Roxy wondered if the question was more than a confirmation. "…Yeah."

"Ah." Susan gave a simple nod.

Then, Susan smiled. "Now, who's the best in hand to hand within the Kingsman?"

"Harry." Roxy said without a doubt. Eggsy's voice a duet.

"Definitely Harry." Eggsy repeated and she knew which event was playing most prominently in his thoughts.

"Really? I should ask around more. Get a consensus." Susan moved closer to her, offering a hand. "How are you?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle." Roxy took the offered hand and sat up. "I demand a rematch later on."

"Same."

"After your missions and when I get that spar from Harry, or whoever is best."

"D'ya think you'll win?"

Without even missing a beat, Susan replied, "Not at all."

The discussion was going as it always did that the moment Merlin stopped halfway a sentence and stood with only a 'one moment', Harry could only follow him with his confused gaze. He watched as Merlin crossed the room with sure steps. He wouldn't have questioned it if they were in the lab, but they were in his office.

Knowing Merlin though, he kept his mouth shut.

He quickly understood what was happening when Merlin opened the door and Susan's surprised face laid behind it, her hand raised to knock. Maugrim barked his own greeting and walked into the room, straight to him.

"Good morning, Maugrim." Harry reached down once the dog moved around his desk. Maugrim was all too eager to give his own greeting, setting his muzzle into his hands and his tail wagging in glee. "Did you miss me?"

Maugrim yipped and his heart melted.

"You're growing so big now! You won't be able to sit on my lap soon." He lowered his voice into a whisper. "Doesn't mean you should stop. You're always welcome to sit on my lap."

And Maugrim did just that, hopping onto his lap and smothering him with kisses.

"Oof." He rubbed Maugrim's sides and ran his fingers through his fur. He chuckled through the kisses. "I missed you too. Really, really do."

This was something Harry always looked forward to. Maugrim was well trained, definitely and without any doubt, but when it came to affection the dog was allowed to break every training instilled.

And Maugrim was very affectionate.

A sharp whistle cut through the air. Maugrim froze and hopped down in a span of a few seconds, calm and ready.

Harry followed Maugrim's gaze to Susan.

"I'm sorry." Susan smiled. "I needed to ask what you would like for lunch."

"You're cooking lunch today?"

Merlin tilted his head to her direction while he stood by her side. "Apparently, it's not Ham finally deciding to kill me, but her cooking lunch for the last week. That's why it tasted different."

Susan raised a brow and gave Merlin the side eye. "Insulting the one that feeds you is never a good move."

"I've come through worse situations. Delicious meals wouldn't stop me."

She smiled and shook her head, a soft scoff amid the movement.

"So, you cooked that meat pie for lunch yesterday?" Harry asked, remembering that delicious meal.

"Yes."

"Then, surprise me. I don't have any allergies. Well, known allergies."

"A challenge. Problematic." Her smile was too true for Harry to worry.

She turned to Merlin. "Pray for me."

"I'm not a man of faith."

"Still, try. At least for me."

"Can you leave him here?" Harry motioned at the dog that barely reacted other than the slight twitch of its tail.

"Oh! Of course!" Susan waved her hand in a pattern and laughed when Maugrim leaped back to his feet, barking, wagging his tail, and just a ball of energy. "You still have that chew toy with you, right?"

"Yes. Did he destroy something again?"

"Just another toy."

"How was the surgery this time, Dr. Pevensie?" Merlin quipped as he returned to his seat and motioned Maugrim to him. In a few moments, he was giving him scratches and rubs.

"The operation was a success and the Great Bulgy Bear lives to see another day." Susan turned to the door and raised her hand in goodbye.

Then paused.

"Since I'm already here," Everything paused with her. Harry waited. Merlin waited. Even Maugrim froze. Susan turned and met Harry's gaze. "Who's the strongest in terms of hand-to-hand combat?"

Harry and Merlin looked at each other. Question shared.

"Harry."

"Me?"

"Yes." Merlin reached for his cliptab and tapped a few times, then he showed it to Susan. She moved closer and looked over the data. "You've been the most consistent up on top in terms of hand-to-hand."

"Do you have the records for the best Kingsman in other categories too?"

"Why?" Harry couldn't help to ask, his hands buried once more into Maugrim's fur as the dog laid his head on his lap. The dog deciding that Merlin was too busy at the moment.

"Training. Would you be willing to spar with me? No rules. First to yield."

"And what other categories are you planning to test yourself against?"

"Marksmanship. Daggers." She pinched her lips together. "Swords? If someone is still around that uses it."

"I know that we practice fencing still and Rajveer, our Gareth, is undefeated for a few years now." Harry watched as her face fell. "By your expression that's not what you meant."

"Short swords and the like."

"Ah. Merlin, do you think Wilhelm would be someone who swordfights? Last we spoke he was still talking about his recent haul of old swords."

"I remember that time. I'll ask him the next time we speak. I'll ask Raj as well." Merlin carried on tapping on his cliptab. "Our best marksman would be Altan. Guns, snipers, and archery."

Wilhelm was their Kay, while Altan, short for Altantsetseg, was their Lucan. The former was still in Bermuda in a mission, while the latter was on a break in her mother's home country of Mongolia.

"Archery." It was delivered in almost breathless surprise. Her eyes widening wasn't a sight that could easily be missed even at such distance. "Truly?"

"Yes. Specializes in a recurve bow. She's threatened us quite a number of times with it."

"An old, traditional, wooden recurve bow?"

"Yes."

"You will like her." Harry smiled in memory. He just remembered that Altan had mentioned interest not only of the Lost Guinevere case but also of the actual skills of the said Guinevere during that emergency meeting. "Your status was that of legend."

"Hardly. I haven't held a bow…in years. I didn't even have one when I was Kingsman." Her gaze turned unseeing and her voice somewhere far away. It stayed for a few moments until silence finally settled long enough to be unusual. Then she smiled, wide and bright. "I still don't have one now."

"I'm sure the kids would have something for you and if not, they'll be glad to get or make you one."

"May I borrow?"

"Of course. You're Kingsman, Susan. You're our Guinevere. I'll make sure to clear time for us to spar as well."

"Thank you."

"Might as well check the stables too." A shadow of a smile was on Merlin's face, but his eyes held a different story. "Might complete the image."

"What image?" Susan cocked her head to the side, brows furrowed.

"Medieval warrior princess."

Her expression shifted, eyes narrowed to try to figure out the truth behind those words. Then, she slowly smiled with her usual amusement.

"…Queen. I was princess only for so short a time."

She clapped her hands together and smiled wider. "I need to get cooking, then. See you in a few."

And then she was out the door.

"Lucy Pevensie's paintings." Harry started once the footsteps faded. The youngest sister with immense visual talent that when Merlin showed them the paintings, Harvey had gasped and Harry was breathless. It was a shame that she died too early. "What were you trying to gain from asking her about an old childhood game?"
"You remember the portraits."

"Who wouldn't? Harvey couldn't stop looking at them. He couldn't stop looking at everything."

Four portraits that were styled for royalty. One for each Pevensie child made in oil and framed in dark wood. Each with a theme in terms of color and intricacy, but when seen together was undeniably a set. All of them fully grown, mid to late 20s. The accuracy of a future most of them didn't get. Uncanny.

"Are you confirming if they were playing as princes and princesses or as queens and kings?"

"A part." Merlin tapped a few times on his cliptab and turned it to him. "And this."

In that cliptab were digital copies of unfinished watercolor paintings with notes of the same handwriting of Lucy Pevensie. It's a series of concept sketches. The notes scrawled with care and deep thought. Harry noticed what Merlin surely wanted him to see. Peter and Edmund Pevensie fighting with swords. Lucy Pevensie sitting by a window seat with a dagger and what looks like a flask on a small table set on the foreground. And there, was Susan riding a horse while wielding bow and arrows. Even as concept sketches, the details on the pieces directed the gaze to the important parts.

The forms. The faces. The weapons.

Swords. Daggers. Bows and arrows.

And a horn.

Lion symbols everywhere.

"By the mane." Merlin murmured, a line Harry had heard Susan say, then set the cliptab down. "There's a secret there that I'd like to know."

"More secrets, of course. Would this be the secret?"

"Maybe."

"Miss Sullivan! Miss Sullivan!" Olivia called out to her passing boss who seemed to be deep in thought. Ursa Sullivan, her cousin and her personal staff were introduced, well reintroduced, to the company as a to be constant fixture for the unforeseen future. The employees found it weird in the beginning, but didn't care enough because most were so low in the hierarchy either way. Those that were high enough to care, were suspicious because this apparent owner and head of their company was never introduced before. Especially, throughout the time frame they claimed that they've owned and led the company. The highest ones, accepted them with open arms and old memories. It didn't matter in the end. The Sullivans were some of the kindest people and no one in the company could deny it. Even the hardest of people had a sincere good word. "Miss Sullivan!"

Ursa Sullivan finally heard her, stopped and turned around. Upon seeing Olivia, she brightened and crossed the distance. "Good morning, Olivia. Didn't you file for a leave today?"

"That would be for next week, Miss Sullivan. We have the usual delivery and if I may say, it's becoming sweeter and sweeter." Olivia teased as she pulled out a massive bouquet of thornless blue roses. Miss Sullivan's eyes softened. "There's the usual note and of course, that's not all."

"What more?"

She pulled out two large boxes of the fanciest and what she was sure were expensive chocolates. "Not to be forgotten."

"Oh." The delight on Miss Sullivan's face was soft but clear. She reached out and pulled at the red ribbon holding it together. "Of course."

Olivia couldn't help but wonder what type of chocolate laid within. "Do you think Mr. Alexandre finally got your preference? He increased the number to cover more ground, I think."

"Who knows? I wouldn't call it preference exactly."

Olivia watched as Miss Sullivan opened the top box. She couldn't help but marvel at the assortment of chocolates that laid within. "Awww, that's adorable!"

The first chocolate delivery from Mr. Alexandre was of white chocolate assortment shaped to different flowers. The second time was of milk chocolates shaped as stars.

This time were of little turtles.

Miss Sullivan picked up a piece between careful fingers and set it on her palm. "It's almost a sin to think of eating them, don't you think?"

Olivia nodded, watching as she ran a finger over the turtle's shell. "It's a work of art. All of them are."

"Go on. Take a piece."

"It's your gift."
"And we've had this conversation before." Miss Sullivan nudged the box closer to her. "Go on. Sin with me."

Olivia burst laughing. "That sounded so wrong."

Miss Sullivan shrugged and finally popped the chocolate in her mouth, sighing and smiling in bliss. An expression in different degrees that Olivia had seen whenever it came to Miss Sullivan and chocolates. Olivia followed suit, now familiar about how delicious Mr. Alexandre's chocolate gifts were.

It was heavenly. It deserved every sigh and appreciation.

"Was your leave request approved?"

"Yes." Olivia nibbled on the chocolate, savoring the taste. "Adrian and Millicent wanted to visit my mother and stay there for a week. And mom had been asking for them to stay for almost a month now."

"How's Adrian's schooling?"

"He's doing better now. The haul of the projects mellowed down and he was able to bond with Millicent again."

"Were they able to finish the costume for that cosplay? Or is there any progress?"

Olivia wiped her hands clean and pulled out her phone to search for the pictures her children pushed to take and show to her boss. "Oh, there's progress! They even found use of the ribbon from Mr. Alexandre's last gift. Millicent also used the rest for her cards."

When she found the pictures, she showed it to Miss Sullivan with a wide grin.

"Oh, I see it." Miss Sullivan leaned close and her eyes brightened and beamed with clear pride. It only fed on Olivia's own. These were her children, after all. "That's quite ingenious! They're able to incorporate it in the dress in such elegance. I really should start watching that anime if they had such wonderful clothing design."

"The story is good too. It might take some getting used to since most people think anime is for children when they're introduced, but it's worth a try."

Miss Sullivan pulled her own phone and Olivia prepared herself to be in work mode, ready to stand up the moment there was a sign that the conversation was closed.

"What was the name of the anime, again? Cardcaptor Sakura?"

Olivia blinked. Miss Sullivan tapped on her phone and in a few moments, her face warped into awe. It was her turn to show what's on her phone's screen. On it, pictures of the dresses both drawn and made through cosplay on Pinterest. "Truly, I should've searched this up earlier. These dresses are very beautiful."

"They are! When Milli showed it to Adi, they worked really hard to make me watch as much as I could. My babies had been working on their own designs ever since."

Miss Sullivan nudged the chocolate box closer to her again. "What's your favorite design of theirs?"

"It's so hard to choose!" Olivia swiped through her gallery albums dedicated to her children's designs to find the ones she really liked. "They were able to make me a dress which I wore in one of the company's old Christmas celebrations. They tried making me a dress every year, but it's not always that we have the budget for the fabric, but we do-"

She caught sight of Miss Sullivan's phone vibrating and her swiping it off.

"-Miss Sullivan. I'm sorry, I've taken you away from work. You should answer that call, especially if it's Mr. Alexandre." It's still a work day and the woman before her was her boss. "Will you be sharing the chocolates with everyone in the department today too?"

Miss Sullivan reached out and patted her hand, then stood up. "Olivia, I look forward to our talks. I love hearing about you. Especially, about Millicent and Adrian."

"That's just blabbering. I get carried away easily."

"Far from it. You're a good mother Olivia. Be proud of your children and yourself."

"T-thank you, Miss Sullivan."

"Ursa. I know the name of your children and their hobbies. You know my suitor by name and whatever is happening between us. And, I'm seriously considering watching anime. I think we can call each other by name during these moments at least?"

"I'll try."

"Also, if you wish and trust me enough, please send me a photo via email of your favorite dress design. I'd like to talk more about it next time."

"Of course!"

Ursa nodded, excitement making her eyes gleam. She replaced the cover of the chocolate box and lifted it. Then, she gave the bouquet a perplexed look.

"Here. I might need to ask for another vase with how much flowers there are" Olivia grabbed it and stood up as well. "Shall we start the day, Miss Sullivan?"

"Just set it on one of the free tables, all of them. Bring me the small boxes as usual. We have much to catch up on and we better start now."

"Of course, Miss Sullivan."

Olivia made sure to send the requested email with her favorite design during her lunch. By the time she came back to her desk, the usual smaller box of chocolates was there. What was new was the flower crown. She had wanted nothing more but to thank Ursa personally as before, if not for the note that said she already finished her workload and had to go.

She wore the flower crown through the rest of the day and felt beautiful during every moment of it. She wasn't alone too. The blue roses were shared to everyone in the department. Worn as crowns, braided through hair, and pinned to clothes.

"Kitten. Talk to me." Lucien purred to the phone and waited, knowing that he would hear her sigh and her giving in to him in just a few moments. "Did you like my gifts? Did you share them around?"

He could hear her breathe, deep and slow. It was calming, like he just woke up from a good night of sleep and the world was in right order. Time under his control and thus was willing to wait for him to rise and welcome it.

It was an addicting sensation. These incomplete silences of hers.

He really did want to see her and watch her in an environment that she was comfortable in. He wanted to know if he had any rivals. How far beneath him they were and how easily they were enthralled by her charm. He wanted to have her by his side, seeing the world in her eyes and willingly sharing it to him, even the most boring mundane of things.

"Ursa." He looked down past the clear glass windows and watched as the scientists swarmed through the lower floor. A wide open space dedicated to the experimentation, creation and improvement of their drugs. He didn't know the technicalities of it, but he could relate to the light in the eyes of these people. He understood the thrill and the lure of the unknown and its power. "Did I have enough roses for everyone? Should I get assorted colors next time?"

He wanted to know if the horror and the darkness he saw in her gaze during the gala wasn't a one-time thing. He wanted to make sure if he was the only one that could see it.

He wanted to feed that darkness until everyone could see. Until it bled like unseen tears.

He wanted the world to know that it was him that put it there.

He glanced at his watch. It would be past midnight in London by this time, close to 2AM. What did she do when she couldn't sleep? What caused her to lose sleep in the first place? What nightmares plagued her? How low would her guard be?

"I want to see you. I miss you." He said and was filled with pride and glee when her breathing hitched.

"I'm trying so hard not to." A whisper that the phone almost didn't catch. "It's so easy to call you and see your face, but I know I'm just going to miss you more. Then, I'll try to know where you are, and I will know. I will know where you are, and if I couldn't stop myself, I'll be there."

He heard footsteps, looking up to the reflection on the glass and seeing a woman more than worthy of his nod of recognition. He waited as she moved to stand beside him, gaze unbreaking.

"You didn't strike me as such a person, Ursa. But it's my fault for not being there to know you as promised." He heard Ursa take a deep breath, hold it and a subtle click of metal.

Suddenly, her silence demanded his curiosity. The gaze held within the reflection broken. "What are you doing this late?"

Then, the held breath was released as quick as the silenced gunshot that echoed with it. In the following silence, curiosity clawed on his spine. Demanding. An order of how he must know all the details, because the image produced by his mind was sure to be nothing compared to the truth.

He listened. Movement. Metal. Breathing. Her.

"Ursa."

"I'm hunting with a friend."

"Past midnight."

"Yes. It's better than a sleepless night and a distracted mind." A chuckle on the forefront of further metal clicking. Disassembly. "It helps with my focus and calm."

"I'm missing so much." How much more would he miss? How much more would he know only in distance?

"What exactly did you want to witness, Lucien?"

"You."

"But there are more important things, and that I understand."

No. She didn't. She didn't understand his need to see the look in her eyes as she took a life. She didn't understand how he wanted to be there to claim it. She didn't understand his need to break and unravel her, then figure out everything within, claim it as only his and piece her back together, then see her flourish .

"Look forward to my visit. I don't plan to let you go."

She hummed, then breathed out her mouth. "You must make me stay first."

"I'll make you want to."

"I look forward to it." The line died with a chuckle.

Soon. He would see her. She would see him and smile for him, but her eyes would tell a whole different story. Those blue eyes would tell him of an invitation to a story that she would only allow those brave enough to take from her lips.

"So, Klaus was right."

Lucien blinked and turned to the woman beside him. Only now remembering that she had been there for a good while. "Victoria. How can I be of assistance?"

Victoria Venera. The golden goddess of their organization. Not only in terms of beauty and glory, but also in cunning and intelligence. Added to it, of course, were power and influence. Heiress of what was once one of the smallest transportation companies in Spain to the owner of one of the most sought after in the world.

"That expression on your face. I thought Klaus was talking nonsense again. I thought everyone was speaking nonsense. Ursa Sullivan here. Ursa Sullivan there."

He took a few moments to blink again in confusion, before he smirked. "This expression?"

Victoria shook her head and raised a brow. "Whatever you say, but now that I see it on you, I would like nothing more than to meet this Ursa Sullivan."

"There's a reason why I've been wanting to bring her into our fold. You will like her or hate her very much. All I need is the approval of those important."

She raised an eyebrow. "Those important."

"I'm making reasonable progress."

"You're talking to the most important and this most important wants nothing more than to meet her. I'm your goddess, Lucien. I should be the first to know this."

His goddess. The words made him grin wide. "Then, would you bless me with your permission to bring you to her? Work almost but not completely finished?"

She laughed. "Leave it all to me."

"… 在娛樂新聞中，心愛的明星特里斯坦哲的死亡摧毀了整個行業。這位演員一個月前宣布退休，因為他將繼承Zhe集團的哲食品企業分公司。官方聲明已宣布死亡是由酒精中毒引起的，許多粉絲猜測強迫退休可能會造成損失。…"

…In entertainment news, the death of the beloved star Tyrone Zhe devastated the whole industry. The actor announced his retirement a month ago as he would be inheriting the Zhe Food Enterprise Branch of the Zhe Conglomerate. An official statement has been released that the death was caused by alcohol poisoning and many fans have speculated that the forced retirement might have taken its toll…

"That's a bad way to start a day."

Klaus looked up from his work to see his secretary come in with a breakfast tray. He dismissed the statement with a wave of his hand.

"Any other changes for the day then, sir?"

"Just that usual, Martin."

"Miss Venera would be even more displeased." Martin hummed as he set down the tray. "I assume that Mr. Alexandre would be handling that. Should I leave the slot blank then, sir?"

Klaus turned down the volume of the news and took the time to think about the matter. "Shopping."

"Wonderful choice. I'll make a list of recommended shops."